Skordalia
Greece's fearlessly garlicky potato dip — starchy potatoes emulsified with raw garlic and good olive oil into something far greater than the sum of its parts. Served alongside fried fish throughout Greece and eaten on Greek Independence Day by tradition.
- 1.5 lbrusset potatoes(peeled and cubed)
- 6 clovesgarlic(more or less to taste)
- 1/2 cupolive oil
- 3 tbsplemon juice
- 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1/4 tspwhite pepper
- 1/4 cupblanched almonds(optional, for texture)
Mellows after a day refrigerated - the raw garlic softens. Keeps up to 5 days.
- 1Boil potatoes in salted water until very tender, about 15-18 minutes
- 2Meanwhile, pound garlic with salt in a mortar and pestle until smooth, or mince very finely
- 3If using almonds, grind them finely
- 4Drain potatoes and mash while still hot - use a ricer for smoothest results
- 5Beat in garlic paste
- 6Gradually drizzle in olive oil while beating constantly
- 7Add lemon juice and vinegar, beat until fluffy
- 8Season with salt and white pepper
- 9Let cool to room temperature before serving with pita, vegetables, or fried fish
Use starchy potatoes for the creamiest texture. Add oil gradually while potatoes are still warm for best emulsification.
Skordalia is one of Greece's oldest preparations, and its name tells its story directly: a compound of the Greek word skorðo (garlic) and the Italian agliata (garlicky). Wikipedia notes it as the modern equivalent of the ancient Greek skorothalmi — a bread and garlic sauce made with pureed walnuts or almonds and served with fish and vegetables, a preparation documented in classical sources. The Byzantine Empire, which encompassed Greece from around 330 CE, made versions of the dish with Mediterranean parsnips, nuts, and bread, using it as a sauce over meats, fish, and vegetables. The switch to the potato base that defines the most popular modern version could not have happened until after the 16th century, when the potato arrived in Europe from the Americas. Bread-based skordalia — the older version — remains widely made in Crete, the Ionian Islands, and Macedonia, where walnuts or almonds are often incorporated alongside. The name may also reflect Italian influence: the Ionian Islands, including Corfu where the dish is called aliada, were under Venetian rule for centuries, and the linguistic cross-pollination is evident. Skordalia is traditionally prepared using a mortar and pestle, with raw garlic pounded into a smooth paste before the potato base and olive oil are incorporated in a slow emulsion. The result is assertively garlicky, creamy, and rich. In Greece today, skordalia is so embedded in the national culinary calendar that it is one of the traditional foods eaten on March 25 — Greek Independence Day — served alongside batter-fried salt cod in a pairing known as bakaliaros skordalia.