I know it’s not polite to brag, but I have been cooking the most delicious dishes lately! I’ve practically been giving myself physical pats on the back when I pull yet another magnificent thing out of the oven. I’ve also been feeling more on top of my home life than I have in a really long time. Case in point, this weekend I spent 8 hours (with full help from my most dedicated friend) wallpapering a single wall (with a window and several cut-outs) in my room. It’s non-refundable wallpaper I ordered approximately 3 months ago before realizing that this was probably more trouble than it was worth. And it probably was! My index finger is sore from overuse of a box cutter, and there were several times that I fully intended to just quit and throw $500 in the garbage. But I persevered, and now the wall behind my bed is covered in a very large tropical palm print. I’m into it.
But back to food. A couple of weeks ago I pulled out Vefa’s Kitchen, one of Phaidon’s giant country-specific anthologies, this one focused on Greek cooking. I flipped through it from front to back (no small commitment, if you’re familiar with the size of these books) and chose a few dishes to take on: this mushroom casserole, baked filo triangles and a walnut semolina cake. While the cake looked promising on paper, it was actually a total dud, most of which went into the trash. But the other two things were so tasty! Plus, making the mushroom casserole justified a trip to Kalustyan’s to get kefalograviera cheese, and I’ll take any excuse I can find to literally just wander the aisles there like a weirdo fondling bags of unusual grains.
My favorite part of this casserole is that it is a one-pot meal that reminds me of a play on baked ziti, or something equally delicious from childhood. It’s just orzo and mushrooms baked in a casserole dish, with the top covered in melted cheese, so it feels pretty indulgent and also like something you’d get on the table for your family after work. But it’s got great depth of flavor, with broth used as the cooking liquid and a variety of mushrooms that have been sautéed in advance. It’s the kind of dish you crave in the winter, when the cure for cold weather is melted cheese on top of everything- it really just seems to help.
On that note, please look out for lots more winter comfort food on the way- it’s the time of year to eat like a peasant in rural Eastern Europe, and I’m fully onboard!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons (50g/2oz.) butter
- 1 large onion, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 9 oz. (250g) oyster mushrooms, cut in strips
- 9 oz. (250g) white button mushrooms, sliced
- 4 tablespoons dry white wine
- 3 cups (750ml) chicken stock
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt
- Pepper
- 14 oz. (400g) orzo or other tiny pasta
- 1 1/2 cups (175g/6oz. grated kefalograviera or pecorino cheese)
Instructions
- Heat half the oil with half the butter in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add both kinds of mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has evaporated. (Note: make sure you use a pan that's large enough for the mushrooms to not pile on top of each other). Pour in the wine, increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes. Pour in the stock, add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the remaining oil with the remaining butter in a skillet or frying pan. Add the pasta and cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown. Transfer the pasta to an earthenware dish with a lid. Add the mushrooms with their cooking liquid, cover and bake for 1 1/4 hours.
- Remove the dish from the oven and remove the lid. Sprinkle with the grated cheese, return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more, until the cheese has melted and the top is lightly browned. Serve hot.
Notes
From Vefa's Kitchen
