Plant-Based Dish for Patates Yahni: A Heartwarming Mediterranean Staple

Globally, kitchen enthusiasts often find themselves transform a simple bag of potatoes into a hearty evening meal. My own cooking adventures could result in a aromatic Sri Lankan potato curry, a flavorful Gujarati version, or even a patiently simmered Spanish tortilla for a special occasion. Today, however, inspiration comes from Greece. Yahni describes a classic Greek cooking method: produce slow-cooked amply in olive oil and tomatoes until wonderfully yielding. It’s as much a philosophy—it’s a vote of the unfussy, the patient, and the truly delicious (and yes, it ultimately is a fantastic dinner).

Greek Braised Potatoes

Serve this with warm bread or grilled bread for a complete main. It also goes perfectly with a few mezze or even served alongside a runny egg for a surprisingly good breakfast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 people

What's Required

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• Fine sea salt
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1kg desiree potatoes (or other waxy variety), cut into 2½cm wedges
• 2 tsp dried oregano, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400g tins of finely chopped tomatoes
• 150g feta cheese
• 75g Greek yoghurt
• 1 lemon, finely zested, plus 1 tbsp of juice
• 80g pitted kalamata olives

Directions

1. The Base

Heat five tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, deep-sided pan that has a fitting lid. Set it over a fairly high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onion slices and a teaspoon of salt. Cook, giving it an occasional stir, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent enough to succumb to a wooden spoon.

Adding the Potatoes

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for a further two minutes, to release its aroma. Then, add the potato wedges and oregano, stirring until they are well coated in the oil. Spoon in the tomato puree and cook for one minute. Tip in the chopped tomatoes along with 400ml of water. Let it come to a boil, then put the lid on, turn down the heat to a steady bubble, and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

Preparing the Topping

Meanwhile, make the whipped feta. In a food processor, combine the feta, Greek yoghurt, lemon zest and juice, three tablespoons of olive oil, and a big pinch or two of salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Step Four

Stir the pitted kalamata olives into the potato stew. Continue to simmer uncovered for a further 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely soft and the sauce has thickened nicely.

Step Five

Spoon the warm yahni into shallow bowls. Finish each with a liberal amount of the whipped feta and a light sprinkling of dried oregano.

The stew is a celebration to the power of simple ingredients elevated by time and care. Share!