Summer Vegetables (Soufico)
Soufico is one of Ikaria’s most iconic dishes. It was traditionally cooked every Saturday, the day when the ovens were on for the weekly baking of bread. Leftovers were used in omelettes, or sometimes sausages were added.
The story told is of a woman asked by her husband ‘what are we going to eat today?’ She goes into the garden to collect vegetables and places them in her apron to prepare a simple dish in the kitchen. Once cooked she replies, ‘Soufica,’ which means ‘I left you some’.
There are a couple of versions of this dish, and many of the local women tell me this is the original. You cut all the vegetables into chunks, frying each separately. The secret is the caramelised onions, which make the dish even more flavoursome. Some cooks skip frying them individually and layer them raw, making the dish lighter and a little easier to prepare as well.
Ingredients 11
100 ml olive oil, plus extra as needed
1.5 kg onion, diced
5 ‒ 6 capsicums (bell peppers), cut into small chunks or julienned
3 eggplants (aubergines), diced
2 zucchini (courgettes), sliced into rounds
3 potatoes, peeled, diced
2 tomatoes, large, grated, skin discarded
1 tsp sugar
1 garlic clove, whole
2 tbsp dried oregano
3 ‒ 4 tbsp basil leaves
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Method 7
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Heat the over a medium heat in a deep frying pan. Add the and a pinch of salt and cook on a low heat for about 10–12 minutes or until the onions are soft and golden. Make sure you stir them occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the to the frying pan, adding another tablespoon of if needed. Cook the capsicums on a medium heat until they have softened a little but not cooked through. Set aside. Then cook the , and , one at a time in the same manner, until they have softened and are turning golden.
To grate a , first cut it in half. Then, holding the skin side in the palm of your hand, grate the tomato flesh into a large bowl. Once you have grated all the tomatoes, add the to maximise the flavour, and a pinch of salt and the whole . Allow the tomato mixture to sit for a few minutes to develop the flavours.
Begin layering the prepared vegetables in a large roasting tin. Spread half of the mixture on the base of the baking dish and layer half the on top, followed by half the , and . Ensure you are seasoning between layers as you go with some salt, pepper and . Repeat until all the vegetables are finished.
Pour the tomato mixture over the top of the vegetables, covering them completely, and cover the dish. (If using a casserole dish, cover with the lid, or you can use aluminium foil.) Place in the oven. After 10 minutes, take out of the oven and remove the . Place back in the oven, and continue cooking for a further 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked.
Remove from the oven and arrange the on top. Allow to cool uncovered. Serve at room temperature.
Meni Valle's tips
Leftovers were used in omelettes, or sometimes sausages were added.
Some cooks skip frying the vegetables individually and layer them raw, making the dish lighter and a little easier to prepare as well.
