Here's a special meal that will be difficult to make in any place in the world except of course Crete. Not even my fellow Greek food bloggers can make this in Athens - they still have to substitute the ingredients for more generic products, which of course don't retain the original taste. Some regional produce (like cheese) doesn't travel well; it's also highly sought-after, with demand being greater than the available supplies. This dish is also one of those acquired tastes - not many people these days would be terribly interested in eating cholesterol-filled fried food. In fact, the only time we allow ourselves a dish like this is when we buy spring-fresh produce before Easter.
Staka is a kind of buttery cream. It looks like curd cheese, but melts upon touch. You cannot pick it up and lead it to your mouth without it melting in your hands. Once it melts, it looks very much like butter. Once it has melted over medium heat, it is thickened with a little milk and flour (seasoned with salt), and the result is a thick non-congealing dip. The longer it cooks, the thicker the dip, and the more separated the oil becomes from the dip. It can be eaten as it is, the way it's normally done in restaurants, served as a side dish for a main meal.
As we were enjoying this dip at home (I had bought some staka to make a lovely traditional Cretan Easter meat pie), we were more indulgent. We added one more ingredient to it: two eggs, cooked in the oil which collected on one side of the saucepan, after I had spooned away the dip. The oil slid towards one edge of the saucepan, into which I broke the eggs. The result was that instead of eating ©All Rights Reserved/Organically cooked. No part of this blog may be reproduced and/or copied by any means without prior consent from Maria Verivaki.
CRETAN PRODUCE:
Xinohondro (hondro)
Stamnagathi
Marathopites
Avronies (wild asparagus)
Wedding pilafi
Orange juice
Lagos stifado
Sorrel
Silverbeet
Bougatsa Iordanis
Black mustard greens
Malotira
Cheese
Sfakianes pites
Olives tsakistes - pastes
Olive oil
Maria, I saw 1st mention of Staka in a food/travel show that went to Crete and they echoed what you've said...the preparation of Staka goes against all conventional cooking wisdom yet the Cretans pull it off. It's on my list to try this...in Kriti!
ReplyDeleteStaka is sinfully delicious. I had it for the first time last year at Alatsi, a Cretan restaurant in Athens. You're right, it's too rich to eat often, but once in awhile, it's amazingly good. Your staka and eggs look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI grew up spending my summers in Western Crete but now we are all grown up we can no longer get there as regularly as we once did - though my parents go to visit our Cretan friends a couple of times a year. I would love to at least attempt making Staka - no easy feat I know - especially for one based in South London! Do you think you might be able to post a recipe?
ReplyDeletehello raki - i'm wondering how you can recreate a staka recipe in south London (you lucky man - london is my fave city and i've spent a little time in clapham junction and brixton)
ReplyDeletei must start experimenting. if you follow my blog, you might even see a recipe for such a creation...
this looks amazing!!! i think i just have to try it.....and it's amusing because my last name happens to be staka haha :)
ReplyDeleteI watched Anthony Bourdain's No reservations and he was served Staka and raved about how amazing it was...I still don't get how to make it :( I totally want the recipe. Any chance of getting it?
ReplyDeleteto make staka dip, you need to have staka (very thick fatty cream) on hand - it can't be made with anything from a supermarket, unless you are in crete...
ReplyDeleteI made a "bootleg version of staka for my students. (I'm a culinary instructor)
ReplyDeleteI clarified about 10 # of butter (for my students to use elsewhere)and skimmed the foam off the top, and reserved the butter-milk fat on the bottom and used that to make the roux.
Separately, i reduced some heavy cream and added the roux and stirred until it was creamy white and cheesy tasting. Season it with salt and white pepper and poured it over french fries. It was like I was back at ALATSI in Athens. Not 100%... but certainly passable in a pinch.