We call August the month of the great exodus.   Almost everyone is away on leave, the cities and towns empty, the traffic lessens and even the suburbs seem much quieter than usual.   One can stroll around window-shopping at one’s leisure and can, blissfully, find ample parking space, wherever and whenever needed!    Strangely enough, even this year, with the credit crunch hanging over us like the sword of Damocles, the picture is exactly the same, Athens is a deserted city.   Of course, it won’t be so for a whole month, as it was a few years ago, as most Greeks have drastically shortened their leaves, others have lost their jobs or shut down their businesses.

          Consequently, the roads being empty, I have decided to go, early, to the market in my neighbourhood, to avoid the heat.  I just adore these markets with gorgeous, colourful fruit and vegetables piled high on the vendors’ stalls.  I usually try to make a good week’s provision, because the products are fresh and tasty and much cheaper than anywhere else.

            Below are two recipes, one for a side dish and one for a cake that I'll prepare with the vegetables and fruit that I have bought from the market.

 

                                              ROAST VEGETABLE DISH

        This is a delicious, roast vegetable dish.   Naturally you can use any vegetable of your choice.

2 large potatoes, pealed and cut into bite size pieces

4 middle-sized courgettes, sliced diagonally into bite size pieces

1 large aubergine, partly peeled and cut into bite size pieces

2 of each red, yellow and orange peppers, stalks and seeds removed and cut into bite size pieces

2 onions peeled and cut from stalk to root in sixths or eights

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

A little Cayenne pepper

60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil or more, if preferred

2 sprigs of rosemary

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

2 large tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and cubed

¼ cup basil leaves, chopped

          Mix all the ingredients (except the rosemary, wine, tomatoes and basil) well together and place them in a baking dish, double-lined with baking parchment.  Arrange the rosemary sprigs over the potatoes and roast in an oven pre-heated to 180C (370F) for about 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked, but are still slightly crunchy.   Discard the rosemary twigs.   Scatter the tomato cubes over the vegetables, drizzle with wine, and roast for 12-15 minutes more.

          
          Arrange  the roast vegetables in a heated pyrex dish, and scatter with basil leaves, while still hot.  My grandchildren love this dish served with spaghetti and cheese.

 

                                                

                                               MARY’S APPLE CAKE

         

          Mary Xenakis, a very dear friend, used to bake this cake for us, when we first started learning bridge, so many years ago.   I have no words left for the cake.  It is juicy and scrumptious. 

115 g (½ cup) butter or margarine, at room temperature

400 g (2 cups) or less sugar

2 eggs

260 g (2 cups) all purpose flour, reserve 1-2 tbsp for dusting the walnuts

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp powdered cinnamon

½ tsp powdered ginger

4 small apples, pealed, cored and diced

55 g (½ cup) coarsely chopped walnuts, dusted with the reserved flour.

    

         Combine the flour with the baking powder, salt and spices.

         In a large bowl mix the butter with the sugar and eggs, until just combined.    Then fold in the flour mixture, and finally the apples and walnuts and stir until barely mixed.     Place the batter in a buttered pyrex dish, level the top with a wet spatula, and bake in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for an hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

(Serves 8-10)