A few years ago, in the beginning of my time in London, I went through what many now Londoners might have experienced: A rough day where I was overworked, exhausted, and a bit hopeless in this big city that I then struggled to call home. If any of you have experienced such a day, then you will relate more with this week’s recipe.
What does one do on such a day? I will share with you what I did. I took a day off work, walked to the nearby market and, feeling slightly guilty and slightly excited I walked around. I had already had breakfast, but decided that breakfast food was what I needed. I bought all the ingredients I needed and in less than an hour, my tiny flat was filled with comforting smells, and I was sitting on the couch having my second breakfast, a wholesome bowl of a very unique ‘porridge’.
So today, we have a very comforting breakfast recipe for you. One that I go to whenever I find myself overworked, or in gloomy autumn mornings. This recipe takes only a bit of time. And love. And it gives back love.
We are using sour trahana, a very unique Greek ingredient. It is made with fermented milk and wheat. With its slightly tangy flavour and comforting smell, it makes a very unique ‘Greek porridge’. Here, we’ve got inspiration from our olive oil porridge and added some graviera cheese, olive oil and of course a drizzle of honey. Trust us, it works! Top it up with some seasonal fresh fruit and nuts! This recipe is for one, but it scales easily.
Serves 1
75 gr trahana (sour)
250g milk (plus more if needed)
25 g graviera cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp honey (plus more, for serving)
fresh or dried fruit (we love figs), and nuts (we love hazelnuts) for serving
In a small pot add the trahana and your milk. Over medium heat bring it to a simmer, then lower the heat to its lowest setting. Let it cook, stirring often (otherwise it will stick to the bottom of the pot), for 15- 20 minutes, until trahana is soft and you have a porridge-like texture. You may need to add a bit more milk to loosen it up.
Grate the graviera cheese and add it to the pot, along with the olive oil and honey. Stir everything together until the cheese melts, for a minute or so.
Serve with fresh or dried fruit, nuts and more honey if desired.
