Vegetarian Dish for Greek Potato Stew: A Heartwarming Greek Classic

Globally, home cooks often find themselves transform a simple bag of potatoes into a hearty evening meal. My personal culinary journey could result in a aromatic Sri Lankan potato curry, a savory Gujarati version, or even a slow-cooked Spanish tortilla for a cozy occasion. On this occasion, however, inspiration comes from Greece. Yahni refers to a classic Greek cooking method: produce slow-cooked amply in olive oil and tomatoes until wonderfully yielding. It’s as much a philosophy—it’s a vote of the unfussy, the patient, and the incredibly satisfying (and yes, it ultimately is a superb dinner).

Greek Braised Potatoes

Dish this up with warm bread or soft flatbreads for a hearty meal. It also goes perfectly with a selection of small sides or even topped with a sunny-side-up egg for a surprisingly good breakfast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 people

What's Required

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• Fine sea salt
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1kg desiree potatoes (or other waxy variety), cut into 2½cm wedges
• 2 tsp dried oregano, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400g tins of finely chopped tomatoes
• 150g feta cheese
• 75g Greek yoghurt
• 1 lemon, finely zested, plus 1 tbsp of juice
• 80g pitted kalamata olives

Instructions

Step One

Pour five tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, deep-sided pan that has a fitting lid. Set it over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the thinly cut onion and a teaspoon of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is yielding enough to yield to a wooden spoon.

Adding the Potatoes

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about two minutes more, while stirring. Then, incorporate the potato wedges and oregano, tossing until they are well coated in the oil. Spoon in the tomato puree and cook for one minute. Pour in the chopped tomatoes along with 400ml of water. Bring to a boil, then cover it, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

3. The Whipped Feta

Meanwhile, prepare the whipped feta. In a blender, blitz the feta, Greek yoghurt, lemon zest and juice, three tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple of good pinches of salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Step Four

Mix the pitted kalamata olives into the potato stew. Continue to simmer with the lid off for a further 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely soft and the sauce has thickened nicely.

5. To Serve

Ladle the warm yahni into pasta bowls. Crown each with a liberal amount of the whipped feta and a scattering of dried oregano.

Patates yahni is a tribute to the magic of few components elevated by time and care. Share!