Talking about the greek cuisine you will always hear different main dishes that are well known around the world. Many people have tried Mousaka, or the Greek bean soup –Fasolada or the Stuffed Tomatoes known as Gemista.
Nevertheless I always remember my father saying that more than a nice dish he prefers to have a lot “mezedes” in front of him where he can choose a small portion from different plates rather than one big one. That’s the meaning also of “mezes” a selection of small dishes served as breakfast, lunch or even dinner, with or without drinks but to ideally with Ouzo!
Well, that’s the purpose of the following dish also. Ideally is served together with other small plates as a meze, but I guess you can also have it as a side dish or starter. Either way it doesn’t matter, I think the combination of tomato, feta cheese and hot peppers is ideal.
Its name is Bouyourdi which basically is a Turkish word (buyruk) and means order or command. Which made me realise from where the phrase “Did the bouyourdi from the Tax Office came to you?” that we are saying in Greece originally came from…
That is your Bouyourdi for today!
Ingredients
- 300gr feta cheese
- 3-4 slices of tomato
- Oregano
- 1 small green pepper cut in small pieces
- 1 small chilli pepper sliced
- A small cup of Olive Oil
Method
Place the feta in a small round dish that you can put to the oven Spread the chilli peppers on top Then continue by spreading the tomatoes, as many as needed in order to cover the Feta.
Add the green pepper and pour the olive oil to go everywhere. Sprinkle with oregano.
Cook it in a moderate oven for around 15 minutes more or less. You will need to check that the feta cheese starts to melt or the peppers become a little bit brownish.
Enjoy together with a cold glass of Ouzo 🙂
Tip: So if you want to experience what a typical meal with various “Mezedes” could be in Greece, try to do the following. Rather than cooking one big dish, cook bouyourdi, then have Tzatziki , together with some shrimps Saganaki? , some bread, ofcourse Greek Salad , and maybe Pickles if you have. Put all the dishes in the middle and start eating a bit from everything together with Ouzo. Proper Greece!
