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Greek potatoes are a relatively new addition to the country’s cuisine, introduced by Count Ioannis Kapodistrias in the 19th century. They are seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, shallots, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano, and roasted in the oven for 45 minutes. Some chefs add chicken stock to prevent sticking and add flavor. They are often served with extra vinaigrette and fresh parsley.
The Mediterranean nation of Greece is renowned for both its philosophical and culinary fetuses. Although many of the country’s gastronomic offerings date back several thousand years, Greek potatoes are a fairly infantile development, since tubers weren’t introduced to the country from the New World until the 18th century. After that, the recipe caught on as a simple combination of fried and seasoned potato wedges, tarted with lemon juice.
It was Count Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first leader of a modern independent Greece, who introduced potatoes to the Greek populace in the early 19th century. Vegetables were a staple in South America, where the country of him and many other European countries were exploring future conquests. Kapodistrias rightly believed potatoes could help end hunger in his growing country – and he was right. In 2011, the tuber was grown throughout the region as a common staple of many daily diets.
Also known as lemonade potatoes or “lemon potatoes,” Greek potatoes are a native take on a basic recipe. The dish does not require much effort to prepare. The first step is to cut the potatoes into small, thin wedges while the oven is preheating to about 425°F (218°C). Some chefs boil the wedges for about five minutes in water, then blanch them in a bowl of ice water before cooking begins; others simply dress them in vinaigrette and let the oven do all the work.
It’s the condiment that turns Greek potatoes into a distinctive native treat. A combination of lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, shallots or onion, salt, pepper, parsley and oregano is tossed through the potato wedges before the roasting begins. Some, like celebrity chef BobFlay, also add chicken stock to the bottom of the pan before cooking, which is a method of preventing sticking and imparting extra flavor.
In the oven, it takes about 45 minutes for the Greek potatoes to take on their characteristic browned appearance. Left alone however, only some of the potatoes will be sufficiently browned. For this reason, many chefs toss potatoes halfway through cooking, doubling the areas exposed to dry heat.
Extra vinaigrette is tossed across the Greek potatoes before serving, along with some fresh raw parsley. A cold variant is called patatosalata or “potato salad”. This involves peeled potato bits that are simply boiled until tender, then tossed with lemon juice, garlic, onions, oil, and seasonings.
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