Greek Risotto with Mushrooms (aka Trachanoto)

The Greek Trahanas is a tiny, pebble-shaped grain product made of goats milk (for sweet trahanas), or yogurt (for sour trahanas), mixed into flour or cracked wheat to form a thick mass. Once the ingredients have been combined, they are broken into chunks, dried, and then broken up into smaller, pebbly pieces.

95% of the kids I Know LOVE trahanas. This kid-friendly healthy fast food (it only takes 10 minutes to mke a trahana soup) , is what we Greek mothers still prepare for dinner, when we don't have the time or mood to cook.

This recipe is like making an Italian mushroom risotto, replacing Arborio rice with trahanas. Absolutely delicious, undoubtedly nutritious.

---

Hands on: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

2 tbsps olive oil

160gr (5,6 oz) trahanas

250gr (8,8 oz) white mushrooms

1 big onion (finely chopped)

1 garlic clove

2 springs thyme (only the leaves)

125 ml (4,2 fl.oz.) white wine

1 lt (35,2 fl.oz.) vegetable broth

salt

30 gr (1 oz) butter (straight from the refrigerator)

30 gr (1 oz) parmesan cheese (grated)

100 gr (3,5 oz) katiki cheese

pepper

---

How to do it

1. Finley chop the onion and garlic.

2. Cut the mushrooms in thin slices and place in a bowl.

3. Place a pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and let it get hot.

4. Sauté the onion until it gets very soft.

5. Add the garlic, the mushrooms and thyme leaves.

6. Sauté for 5 minutes, until most of the mushroom moisture is evaporated..

7. Add the trahana and stir for 2-3 minutes with a wooden spoon to distribute among the vegetables.

8. Add the wine and wait for 2-3 minutes so the alcohol can evaporate.

9. Add one cup of the vegetable broth and stir slowly until it is absorbed (not completely). Then add another cup and continue doing so for 20 minutes, until the trahanas is cooked.

10. Add some salt and remove from heat.

11. Add the butter and the parmesan and stir well.

12. Serve with 1-2 tablespoons of katiki cheese, fresh grated pepper and olive oil.

---

Tips

• Katiki is a genuine Greek product of protected designation of origin (PDO), produced in the prefecture of Phokida (Domokos). It is made from goat’s milk or a combination of goat’s and sheep’s milk and it has a salt content of 1% . It is a fresh-slighly sour cheese with a fine, smooth texture, a pleasant aroma and a refreshing taste. If you can not find katiki (of Domokos) cheese in your market, replace it with soft feta cheese mixed with Greek yoghurt or goat cheese softened with Greek yoghurt.

#mushroomrisotto #trachanoto #trahanoto #trahanas