GREEK FRIED BREAD – TIGANOPSOMO

The other day I sat at the kitchen table listening to Demis Roussos and sipping on a greek coffee reminiscing of past holidays in Greece. My parents are from the north of Greece and I had never been there until 2017 when we took a trip of a lifetime, literally!

We promised my dad if he should pull through  and get better we would go back and so began my love affair with Greece. I could quite easily live there if it wasn’t for my family. Every time  it seems to get harder to say goodbye and leave Greece.

So I try and learn as much as I can from family, friends, books, internet, any which way I can about greek foods. Well you should know me by now- food is how I express my love, it’s how I won over my husband – as they say, the way to a mans heart is through his stomach!

Having a love of bread has made things a little hard since cutting out grains and yeast.  Searching for substitutes and creating substitutes ever since is a life long goal  and Tiganopsomo is one such substitute that I have made with various fillings. Kind of like a calzone is to Italians except that this is fried and not baked.

Tiganopsomo or greek fried bread is traditionally served for breakfast or an appetiser. It can be plain or stuffed with feta and drizzled with honey. For me I like them drizzled with honey and  a sprinkling of sesame seeds. Sometimes it is stuffed with feta and herbs and eaten as a savoury drizzled with balsamic vinegar.
Tiganopsomo  is usually prepared with a wheat based leavened dough consisting of flour, water, yeast, oil, salt and sugar. It is rolled into a disc, filled with feta cheese and  fresh herbs like oregano, parsley, rosemary, mint or sage, which is then encased in the dough, flattened slightly and fried, whether it be shallow or deep fried in either oil, shortening or lard. 

My version of this fried greek bread is made without yeast. It is free of grains, gluten, dairy or yeast. Instead of yeast I am using plain coconut yogurt and baking powder, which will give it lightness.

Replaced regular feta with vegan feta as it is dairy free. Two  brands I have tried are Sheese Vegan Greek Style feta (by Bute Island Foods) or The Wise Bunny Fetta Style , which are both available in Australia. You can use dairy feta if you can have dairy in your diet. It takes only a few ingredients, no special tools, just a bowl ,whisk, spatula and frying pan and they are easy to make. 

 GREEK FRIED BREAD  WITH FETA – TIGANOPSOMO 

INGREDIENTS – DOUGH

1 cup Almond Flour
1 cup Tapioca Flour/starch plus extra for dusting 
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Xanthum Gum
1 cup Natural Coconut Yogurt  (I used Aldi Brand)
Light Olive Oil for frying, or can use shortening or lard

INGREDIENT – FILLING

100 grams Vegan Feta Style Cheese
¼ cup Bio Brand Pizza Shreds

INGREDIENTS – TOPPING (optional)

Honey or Maple Syrup

Sesame seeds

METHOD

In a large bowl add almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder and xanthum gum. Whisk with a metal whisk till combined and lump free. Add coconut yogurt.

Stir until incorporated and forms a dough. 

Sprinkle some tapioca on bench or board and lightly knead the dough. Divide dough into 14 even pieces and roll into balls.

Put a ball on floured surface and flatten into a disc, using your fingers or palm of your hand, approximately 8-10 cm in diameter, making sure it is floured on both sides to avoid sticking.  Now get a second ball and do the same.

* Work in pairs and keep each pair to the same size.

Put a tablespoon of cheese in centre of one disc. wet the edge of the second disc with water and put on top of first disc, pressing  edges to enclose filling. Continue until all the dough is made into parcels.

Heat a little oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add one to two discs and cook until golden, turn over and cook until golden. Remove from pan and put on paper towel lined plate. 

Continue until  they are all cooked, then plate up and serve with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or leave plain for a savoury version.

Makes 7 Parcels

BAKING POWDER(Opens in a new browser tab)

KOURABIEDES : Greek Almond Cookies(Opens in a new browser tab)