Meat-Free Dish for Greek Potato Stew: A Heartwarming Mediterranean Staple

Globally, home cooks routinely try to transform a basic purchase of potatoes into a hearty evening meal. My own culinary journey could result in a aromatic Sri Lankan potato curry, a savory Gujarati version, or even a slow-cooked Spanish tortilla for a special occasion. On this occasion, however, the solution comes from Greece. Yahni refers to a time-honored Greek cooking method: vegetables simmered liberally in olive oil and tomatoes until wonderfully yielding. It’s as much a philosophy—it’s a endorsement of the simple, the slow, and the truly delicious (and yes, it doubles as a wonderful dinner).

Greek Braised Potatoes

Enjoy this with warm bread or grilled bread for a hearty meal. It also goes perfectly with a few picky bits or even topped with a runny egg for a remarkable breakfast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 people

What's Required

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• Fine sea salt
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1kg desiree potatoes (or other waxy variety), cut into 2½cm wedges
• 2 tsp dried oregano, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400g tins of finely chopped tomatoes
• 150g feta cheese
• 75g Greek yoghurt
• 1 lemon, finely zested, plus 1 tbsp of juice
• 80g pitted kalamata olives

Directions

Step One

Place five tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, deep-sided pan that has a fitting lid. Set it over a fairly high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the sliced red onion and a teaspoon of salt. Fry, moving it around, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft enough to yield to a wooden spoon.

Adding the Potatoes

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for a further two minutes, to release its aroma. Then, incorporate the potato wedges and oregano, mixing until they are evenly covered in the oil. Mix in the tomato puree and cook for one minute. Tip in the chopped tomatoes along with 400ml of water. Let it come to a boil, then cover it, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

Step Three

Meanwhile, whizz up the whipped feta. In a food processor, process the feta, Greek yoghurt, lemon zest and juice, three tablespoons of olive oil, and a couple of good pinches of salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Finishing the Stew

Fold the pitted kalamata olives into the potato stew. Leave it to bubble without the lid for a further 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and the sauce has thickened nicely.

Plating Up

Serve the warm yahni into shallow bowls. Top each with a liberal amount of the whipped feta and a light sprinkling of dried oregano.

The stew is a tribute to the beauty of basic produce elevated by time and care. Enjoy!