Η συνταγή και στα ελληνικά στο τέλος της ανάρτησης!
Parnassus is a mountain that stretches among three prefectures in the central area of Greece and has an altitude of 2.457 meters, which makes it one of the highest in the country. According to Greek mythology the mountain took its name from hero Parnassus, who also built a city on it. Back then, myth says, Zeus decided to destroy the corrupted human beings. He chose Defkalíonas, son of Prometheus, and his wife Pyrrha, who were loyal and pious, to survive. Defkalíonas, following his father’s advice, built a ship and he and his wife boarded on it.
Nine days and nine nights Zeus was throwing his lightning and thunderbolts and he flooded the whole world. All humans were drown in this huge flood that took its name after Defkalíonas. The tenth day Zeus stopped throwing his wrath on earth and the ship grounded on mountain Parnassus. The couple went out of the ship and made a sacrifice to Zeus. The god was so pleased, that sent Hermes to fulfil any desire they had. Defkalíonas asked from Zeus to resurrect humanity, but god was not as keen to do that.
The couple then went to Delphic oracle which was the most famous oracle of that time. They asked for a prophecy and sibyl told them that, if they wanted to create humanity again, they would have to cover their heads with scarves and throw the bones of their mother behind them. The couple immediately understood what the prophecy meant and they did the following: they covered their heads exactly as they were told and started throwing stones behind them, as they took for granted that their mother was the earth. From the stones of Defkalíonas, men were born and from the stones Pyrrha threw, women were created. And that is how according to Greek mythology humans were born again. Does this remind you of something?
Mountain Parnassus played a very important role in ancient Greece as it was also the place were Delphic oracle was placed which was considered to be the “navel of the earth”. For this specific myth I am going to talk to you in a next post.
Today the mountain is a very popular touristic destination especially during winter because of its ski resort. Another one thing that makes it very popular is the fact that is quite close to Athens and the access is very easy. One of the local products I love is Formaéla cheese. This cheese is made in a village called Aràhova and its name, origin, way of production and ingredients are protected with a governmental act. It is made from ship’s or goat’s cheese or a combination of both and has an off-white color and a very rich aroma and a picante flavor. I had a small cylindrical head in my fridge and I wanted to use it, so I came up with this delicious recipe.
Although I call it lasagna it doesn’t contain any pasta. I used the chicken fillets as layers and added all the ingredients in between and on top. It was so delicious, I didn’t want it to end. A pure cheese heaven.
- 1 slice of stale bread
- ½ cup parmigiano reggiano
- 3 tbsp parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- 400 gr. / 14 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- About 10 basil leaves, chopped
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil for sautéing
- 500 ml / 1 pint milk
- 30 gr. / 1 oz. butter
- 4 tbsp corn starch dissolved in 3 tbsp water
- ½ cup yellow cheese, grated
- ½ cup formaela cheese, grated (if you cannot find formaela, use any sharp white cheese like cheddar)
- 1 egg
- Salt (careful because you have added cheese as well)
- Pepper
- ½ tsp of nutmeg
- 4 halved breasts
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup of formaela cheese or any other sharp white cheese
- Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until they become crumbles.
- In a skillet pour about three tbsp of olive oil in high heat.
- Throw the onion and sauté until it starts to soften.
- Add the tomatoes, basil leaves, dried basil, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Sauté for about two minutes, remove and put aside.
- At this point, preheat oven to 200° C / 400° F.
- In a deep pot pour the milk, the butter, the nutmeg, salt and pepper in medium heat.
- Once starts to bubble throe the dissolved corn starch and whisk until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from fire add the egg and continue to whisk.
- Lower heat to low and bring the pot back to fire.
- Add both cheese and continue to whisk until it has melted completely.
- Set aside.
- Cut the breasts in even thinner fillets.
- Salt and pepper them.
- In a skillet add couple of tbsp of olive oil and brown them in medium/high heat from both sides in batches.
- Take a glass pan of about 40cmX 20cm / 16 in. X 8 in.
- Pour couple of tbsp. of the Mornay sauce on its bottom.
- Place four of the fillets on top.
- Throw the sautéed tomatoes and on top of them sprinkle the formaela cheese.
- Cover with the rest four chicken fillets and pour on top of them the Mornay sauce to cover them.
- Sprinkle the herbed bread crumbs and put in the oven for about half an hour or until the surface takes a beautiful golden color.
- Remove from the oven, let it rest for about 10 minutes and then serve.
- 1 φέτα ψωμί μπαγιάτικο
- ½ φλιτζάνι parmigiano Reggiano
- 3 κ.σ. μαϊντανό
- ½ κ.γ. αλάτι
- 400 γρ. ντοματίνια, κομμένα στη μέση
- 1 κρεμμύδι, χοντροκομμένο
- Περίπου 10 φύλλα βασιλικό, ψιλοκομμένα
- ½ κ.γ. ξηρό βασιλικό
- ½ κ.γ. θυμάρι
- 1 κ.σ. ζάχαρη
- Αλάτι και πιπέρι
- Ελαιόλαδο για σοτάρισμα
- 500 ml γάλα
- 30 γρ. βούτυρο
- 4 κ.σ. κορν φλάουερ διαλυμένο σε 3 κ.σ. νερό
- ½ φλιτζάνι κίτρινο τυρί τριμμένο
- ½ φλιτζάνι τυρί φορμαέλα, τριμμένη
- 1 αυγό
- Αλάτι (προσοχή, επειδή έχετε προσθέσει και τυρί)
- Πιπέρι
- ½ κ.γ. μοσχοκάρυδο
- 4 μισά στήθη
- Αλάτι και πιπέρι
- ½ φλιτζάνι τυρί φορμαέλα
- Βάλτε όλα τα υλικά σε ένα μπλέντερ και ανακατέψτε μέχρι να γίνουν τρίμμα.
- Σε ένα τηγάνι βάλτε περίπου τρεις κουταλιές της σούπας ελαιόλαδο σε δυνατή φωτιά.
- Ρίξτε το κρεμμύδι και σοτάρετε μέχρι να αρχίσει να μαλακώνει.
- Προσθέστε τις ντομάτες, τα φύλλα βασιλικού, τον ξερό βασιλικό, το θυμάρι, τη ζάχαρη, το αλάτι και το πιπέρι.
- Σοτάρετε για περίπου δύο λεπτά, βγάλτε από τη φωτιά και βάλτε το στην άκρη.
- Σε αυτό το σημείο, προθερμαίνετε το φούρνο στους 200° C
- Σε μια βαθιά κατσαρόλα ρίξτε το γάλα, το βούτυρο, το μοσχοκάρυδο, αλάτι και πιπέρι σε μέτρια φωτιά.
- Μόλις αρχίζει να βράζει ρίξτε το κορν φλάουρ και ανακατέψτεμέχρι να δέσει η σάλτσα.
- Αφαιρέστε από τη φωτιά προσθέστε το αυγό και συνεχίστε να ανακατεύετε.
- Χαμηλώστε τη φωτιά στο χαμηλό και ξαναβάλτε την κατσαρόλα στη φωτιά.
- Προσθέστε το τυρί και συνεχίστε το ανακάτεμα μέχρι να λιώσει εντελώς.
- Βγάλτε από τη φωτιά και βάλτε το στην άκρη.
- Κόψτε τα στήθη κατά μήκος σε ακόμα πιο λεπτά φιλέτα.
- Αλατοπιπερώστε τα.
- Σε ένα τηγάνι προσθέστε δύο κουταλιές της σούπας ελαιόλαδο και σοτάρετε σε μέτρια/υψηλή φωτιά από τις δύο πλευρές μέχρι να πάρουν χρώμα.
- Πάρτε ένα πυρέξ 40cm X 20cm.
- Ρίξτε δύο κουταλιές από τη σάλτσα Μορνέ στον πάτο.
- Τοποθετήστε τέσσερα από τα φιλέτα από πάνω.
- Ρίξτε τις ντομάτες και πασπαλίστε με φορμαέλα.
- Σκεπάστε με τα υπόλοιπα τέσσερα φιλέτα κοτόπουλο και ρίξτε από πάνω τους τη σάλτσα Μορνέ έτσι ώστε να τα καλύψει.
- Πασπαλίστε με τα ψίχουλα ψωμιού και βάλτε στο φούρνο για περίπου μισή ώρα ή μέχρι να πάρει ένα όμορφο χρυσό χρώμα η επιφάνεια.
- Βγάλτε από το φούρνο, αφήστε να ξεκουραστεί για περίπου 10 λεπτά και στη συνέχεια σερβίρετε.
