26 Mar Blue is for Greece
“Blue is the warmest color” I remember a movie was called. For me there is nothing more blue than Greece. Blue sky, Blue sea, Blue flag. I got my inspiration for this recipe and the blue photo shooting for the Greek flag.
The white and blue flag of Greece has nine stripes that represent the nine syllables of the phrase “Freedom or Death” (E-le-fthe-ri-a i Tha-na-tos in Greek), the motto of the Greek Revolution of 1821. The blue and white colors have been identified as the traditional colors of Greece: blue symbolizes the sky and the sea, white symbolizes the clouds and the waves. On the top left, there is a blue square canton with a white cross, a symbol of Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the Greeks.
March 25th is the National Independence day of Greece. I want to dedicate this post to people that are fighting for their rights, for freedom and to the dreamers like me that are picturing peace all over humanity.
Greeks around the world are eating Cod with Skordalia for March 25th. It is a tradition. I cooked cod too, but I decided to cook it with my fresh pasta that I made for the first time for that photoshooting. A creamy pasta sauce with lemon and garlic, served with my cod. Such a delicious recipe. We loved it.
For the pasta:
- 300 gr of all purpose flour
- 3 whole eggs and 1 yolk (total 185gr)
- 1 teaspoon of Greek virgin olive oil
- A pinch of salt
- Semolina flour for the rolling
The method:
Mix all the ingredients in the bowl of your standar mixer with the hook attachment for 5 min at medium-high speed, until the dough is soft.
Then remove the dough from the bowl and wrap it tightly on a plastic wrap. Leave it aside to rest for 30 mins.
Remove from the plastic wrap and cut the dough in four pieces. Cover the three of them with the plastic wrap so they won’t dry out and use the rolling pin you have to roll the dough in an oval shape.
When that is formed use your pasta maker – cutter to make your favorite pasta. I made tagliatelle, 8 thickness.
For the blue pasta I used the same ingredients but I added blue gel color (since I didn’t have anything natural to use for that blue shade) in the mixer before starting mixing. So the color would be even in the dough.
Notes:
As much color you use, that intense color you are going to have.
The pasta dries quickly so cover if you are not cooking immediately.
You can store pasta dough in the refrigerator for 2 days, tightly wrapped in a plastic wrap and up to one month in the freezer.
How to cook fresh pasta:
The way is the same, you know. You boil water in a big pot with salted water. When the water is boiling you add the pasta and cook for 2 mins. You can check if it is cooked by removing one of them and trying. Then drain the water.
For the lemon sauce:
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to your taste.
- Parmesan to shred on top.
The method:
Put a pot over a medium heat. Add the butter, the lemon zest and the garlic. Mix well until the ingredients are cooked. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Then add the pasta and the heady milk and cook until the sauce is thick. Serve the pasta warm and shred some parmesan on top and fresh pepper if you like.
For the cod (optional):
- Two or as many filets as you like.
- Plain bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper.
The method:
Preheat the oven 350 F (180 C).
Wash the filets well. Salt and pepper them both sides. Place them on a bowl with bread crumbs and make sure they are all covered. Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins, or until they are cooked.
Serve with the warm pasta.
Enjoy!
We didn’t really eat the blue pasta to be honest. We didn’t want to consume all that blue color (I put a lot of blue color). It is definitely edible.
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