I am going to tell you a short story. My father comes from a mountainous village in the central Greece. His village is called Sklithro and is located around 600 m. above the level of the sea in the mountain of Mavrovouni (Black Mountain). The village is very small and not touristic at all. It does not have a hotels or rooms to let. You can only visit it, but you cannot stay, unless you have a relative who owns a house. It is surrounded by intense greenery. Chestnut trees, almond trees and platanus are some of the trees you can find there.
My father owns a house and we go every summer for a week or two, because lucky us, the beach is only 20 minutes from the village. Part of my father’s family lives there, his aunt and two of her children.
My father’s aunt-her name is Artemis- is 88 years old, a very vivid person, full of life and stamina. Until couple of years ago, she was climbing the small roads of the village like a goat. Two years ago she had a light stroke, which left her a slight instability and a noise in her head. It is sad to see how age affects people, especially people so dynamic and alive. Anyway, she can no longer go around that easily, but she moves in the house and on the backyard.
Batzina is a type of bread pie found in the central area of Greece. Aunt Artemis made that very often when we visited. So, who is better person to ask than her?
I called her and she was very happy to hear me on the phone. She does not know internet and what I am doing, but she was very happy to share the way she makes it with me. What she told me is that this pie is very easy and they used to make it when they returned from the cultivation of the land, because it can be made in no time. She gave me the doses roughly, so I had to recreate it translating the handfuls and coffee cups into actual measurements. The end result was very good, so I am giving you the recipe.
Batzina
Ingredients
500gr. / 1 lb. all-purpose flour
550 gr. / 19.5 oz. milk
450 gr. / 16 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1/ tsp tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 egg
2 tbsp fresh dill chopped or 1 tbsp dried dill
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
In a bowl or your stand mixer mix the milk, olive oil, egg, flour, salt and pepper.
Add the crumbled feta and dill and stir with a spatula.
Butter and flour a round pan with 40cm. / 15.5 in. diameter and pour the batter in.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.
Let it stand for 5 minutes and then cut and serve.
Batzina
Author/ Συγγραφέας: Katerina
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
- 500gr. / 1 lb. all-purpose flour
- 550 gr. / 19.5 oz. milk
- 450 gr. / 16 oz. crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tsp tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped or 1 tbsp dried dill
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F.
- In a bowl or your stand mixer mix the milk, olive oil, egg, flour, salt and pepper.
- Add the crumbled feta and dill and stir with a spatula.
- Butter and flour a round pan with 40cm. / 15.5 in. diameter and pour the batter in.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes and then cut and serve.
Μπατζίνα
Author/ Συγγραφέας: Κατερίνα
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Ορεκτικό
Cuisine/ Κουζίνα: Ελληνική
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
- 500 γρ. αλεύρι για όλες τις χρήσεις
- 550 γρ. γάλα
- 450 γρ. φέτα τριμμένη
- 1 κ.γ. αλάτι
- 1 κ.γ. πιπέρι
- ½ φλ. ελαιόλαδο
- 1 αυγό
- 2 κ.σ. φρέσκο άνηθο ψιλοκομμένο ή 1 κ.σ. ξερό άνηθο
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
- Προθερμαίνετε το φούρνο στους 200 C.
- Σε ένα μπολ ή στο μίξερ σας ανακατέψτε το γάλα, το λάδι, το αυγό, το αλεύρι, το αλάτι και το πιπέρι.
- Προσθέστε τη φέτα και τον άνηθο και ανακατέψτε με μια σπάτουλα.
- Βουτυρώστε και αλευρώστε ένα ταψί με διάμετρο 40 cm και ρίξτε το μίγμα.
- Ψήστε για περίπου 30 λεπτά ή μέχρι η πίτα να πάρει ένα ελαφρύ καφέ χρώμα.
- Αφήστε τη να κρυώσει για 5 λεπτά και σερβίρετε.
