HOME LEAVE 1956 (Continued)

                                     

Thanking Ask.com for this Map 

After Corfu, we sailed to Cephalonia, which was still trying to heal from the massive earthquakes that had struck and flattened out the island, in 1953.

With deep sorrow, I showed my husband, Aleco, where our house and the important landmarks of Argostoli had been, before the disaster and he was shocked by the destruction.

Most houses and public buildings were being reconstructed, according to very strict anti-earthquake specifications, so there was an orgy of building going on.   Many workers, architects and engineers came from all over Greece to help their local counterparts in the effort.     

Argostoli in Ruins

As hope dies last, most of my compatriots, including us, were convinced that the new town would be as good as the one that was.   Old Argostoli had many Venetian buildings, lovely old mansions and churches with typical bell-towers.

Unfortunately, later it was evident, that the beauty of the authentic was lost in the reconstruction.   Please, do not misunderstand me, it still is a lovely town with all modern conveniences, large parks, colourful public gardens,  museums, a beautiful theatre, and excellent hotels,  restaurants, bars and boutiques, so please visit whenever you can.

My parents, who were also on leave, were living in a makeshift concrete building, so we stayed with them.   We visited relatives and friends in their provisional homes, I was delighted to see them, and to recollect events that had happened when we were young children, during the Italian and German occupation.

My mother's sister,  Adamandia Simota and her husband had us over for tremendous meals, in her humble house. As she was very house proud, besides being a fabulous cook, the table was laid with a beautiful linen tablecloth and silverware, that had survived the earthquakes, and plain dishes and glassware that were bought locally to replace the old china and crystal.

We met with my dear cousin Aliki Christodulatos and her husband Andreas and we went to Poros to see my Mother’s brother, Cosmetos Travlos, where the red carpet was laid out for us!

We visited most of the beautiful Cephalonian beaches, went underwater fishing, daily, with an old friend,  Spyros Cosmetatos, and were happy and very proud of catching large numbers of various kinds of fish.

As our home leave was coming to an end, we had to return to Kifissia.   This time, our destination would not be Karachi, which we loved, but Mombasa, Kenya where Ralli Brothers had, unfortunately, transferred us.   Years later, we were very happy with this transfer, as we lived in and discovered two lovely East African cities, Mombasa, where our son Spyro was born, and Kampala in Uganda.

A Beautiful Old City on the Indian Ocean

I am giving you, below, a few Cephalonian recipes, which I  hope you will enjoy.

                                        CEPHALONIAN CHEESE DISH

Kali Orexi!!

This a lovely cheese dish which, when just removed from the oven, resembles a soufflé.

4 tbsp butter, softened

6 eggs separated, whites whipped to soft peaks with a tiny pinch of salt

210 g (7 oz) feta cheese, coarsely grated

2 tbsp kephalotyri, pecorino or Parmesan, finely grated

200 g (1 tub) thick Greek yogurt

315 g (10.5 oz) self-rising flour, sifted with

1 tsp baking powder

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg about ¼ tsp or more if preferred

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Beat the butter until pale and fluffy then add the yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.   Add the rest of the ingredients, except the egg whites, and mix until very well combined.

Finally, gently but thoroughly fold in the whipped egg whites.  Pour into a buttered pyrex dish and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until well risen and golden.   Serve immediately.

                                                 CEPHALONIAN LEEK PIE

Cephalonians are the only residents of the Ionian Island that, traditionally, prepare pies.

Pastry:

500 g (1 lb) self-rising flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp mustard powder

250 g (1/2 lb) butter, cubed
1 egg yolk, white reserved for further use

4-5 tbsp white wine

Filling:

1 kg (2 lb) leeks, trimmed, split lengthwise and thoroughly washed, then sliced boiled and drained to remove as much liquid as possible

5 medium-sized eggs, beaten

250 g (½ lb)  feta cheese, coarsely grated
120 g (4 oz) anthotyro, grated or any other mild tasting soft  white  cheese
2 tbsp chopped dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

A knob of butter for the dish and extra for brushing over the pastry

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).

Mix all the ingredients for the pastry in a food processor until a soft, pliable dough is obtained. Add a little more wine if it crumbles and a little flour if it is sticky.  Gather into a ball, flatten it out, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least.

Meanwhile, mix the leeks with the eggs, cheese, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Divide the dough equally and roll it out thinly between two pieces of baking parchment.   Place the one sheet of pastry in a 25 cm (10 inch) diameter buttered dish, brush with the reserved beaten egg white. and spoon the filling evenly over. Cover with the remaining pastry sheet, and pinch the edges to seal.  Slit 2 or 3 vents to allow the pie to breathe, brush with melted butter and bake for about 30 minutes or until crisp and golden.

                                            LENTIL AND POTATO SALAD

A Nourishing Potato Salad

This is an interesting salad that you could prepare with leftover lentils.

150 g (5 oz) brown lentils, boiled with a garlic clove and a bay leaf until just tender, drained

3 medium-sized potatoes, boiled in salted water, peeled and cubed

2 slices lean, smoked ham, finely chopped

2 sweet gherkins, very finely chopped

Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 scant tsp tarragon vinegar

1 tsp prepared Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tbsp parsley

In a salad bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients together.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss gently then sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.

                               WALNUT CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GLAZE

A Delight

This cake is very light and easy to make.

Cake:

180 g (6 oz) butter, at room temperature

180 g (6 oz) sugar

150 g (5 oz) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of salt

5 medium-sized eggs, separated, whites whipped to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt

Vanilla

120 g (4 oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped

Ganache:

150 g (5 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

150 ml (5 fl oz) cream

1 tsp honey

A few walnuts for garnish

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.   Coat the walnuts with 2 tbsp of the flour mixture and reserve.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350F).   Cream the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Sift in the flour and mix well.  Fold in two large spoonfuls of whipped egg-whites to soften the batter.  Stir in the walnuts, and then, gently, fold in the remaining whipped egg whites.

Pour into a buttered baking tin, lined with baking parchment, and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the oven and reverse on a pretty serving dish and put aside to cool.

Heat the cream and just before it reaches the boiling point pour over the chopped chocolate.   After two minutes, add the honey and stir until the chocolate is smooth and shiny.   Pour the warm chocolate over the cake to cover and garnish it, attractively, with walnuts.