Imagine something that is very much like my mushroom pie, just a lot bigger and stuffed with cheese instead of mushrooms. Now heat it up, cut it half-open, so you've got a pocket. Fill it with French fries and your favourite ketchup or yogurt sauce. Got that?
Well done! You've just imagined a Greek fast-food called peinirli. It looks like this:
A peinirli from "Rainbow", Volos
Peinirli is what my friend Anna and I had for a snack in the port town Volos one afternoon just over half a year ago. Although the main reason for my Greek trip last June was a wedding on Santorini, I had arrived a few days in advance in order to visit my Edinburgh friend Anna and her young family. When I asked Anna to introduce me to something that is typical to this specific Greek town, she took me to a popular peinirli joint, Rainbow.
Peinirly derives from a Turkish word 'peynirli', meaning 'cheesy', and came to Greece in early last century with the refugees from Asia Minor. Peinirli always has a cheese filling (usually a mixture of kefalograviera and kasseri cheese), but only the sky is a limit. You can add bacon, eggs, ham, minced meat or anything else you fancy into a peinirli. Whereas usually peinirli is an open boat-shaped yeast pastry with a filling (see here), then the Volos version is closed a la calzone, baked and then filled with stuff to order (above). Quite interesting - not something you'd eat every day, but a perfect snack after promenading on the seaside.
If you're wondering how come I write about something so summery in the midst of January, then let me tell you. It's snowing so heavily outside at the moment, that I could hardly see where I was going when I returned from lunch an hour ago. I thought it's a perfect opportunity to blog about something so distant and different and out of my ordinary to bring some warmth and sunny memories to my day :)
Rainbow
Iasonos 135
Tel. 35557
Volos, Pelios
7 comments:
Hi Pille, that sounds terribly unhealthy, but incredibly good! Although we don't have any blizzard to contend with here, I'm certainly with you on the dreaming of summer part... :)
I love hearing about this. I didn't ever see it in Greece and hadn't heard of it before! (Not in the least bit South Beach Diet friendly, sigh.)
Well I learn something new all the time...
Reminds me of chip butties, the most bizzare of British inventions. Would you put vinegar on these?
Hi, I just wanted to say thanks for your post! I live in London, but originally come from the North of Greece (Thessaloniki). There, we don't have the peinirli version that you mention- just the normal kaseri / kefalograviera topped boat-shaped one! So it was a nice surprise to hear about this, will ask friends from Volos about it.
Thanks!
Maria
Melissa - as an occasional 'treat' it's harmless, I hope:)
Kalyn - I suspected that it's not suitable for SBD! It was the first time I encountered this in Greece, too, but as it's been too hot for me whenever I'm in the country, I have been sticking to salads and such like..
Anon. - we all do!
Roxy - I've never had a chip buttie! I guess I need you to introduce me to all those peculiar British delicacies:) You already made me eat the deep-fried Mars bar, so I guess we can try the chip buttie next time??
Maria - please do! My friend Anna is new to Volos (she's originally from Larisa, but has since lived in Athens and in Edinburgh), so she's a bit of a tourist in town, too. What would your friends suggest as the typical dish? I'd love to go to Thesaloniki - my former bf studied there (he's from Kavala) and said it's a wonderful city..
Paz - you need to head over to Greece for that:)
Actually teenage boys in Volos eat it every day. It has fed generations of volos people.. If you are a woman you need help to consume it and you have to stop it at the age of 20. I was searching for this million dollar dough and found you. i ll try your mushroom pie dough. if it is like peynirly you will earn a place in my prays for the rest of my life! Thanks!
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