trahana porridge with lemon & olive oil

I just recently reviewed Try the World, a food delivery service that sends subscribers products and goods from different countries around the world. Since my box was from Greece, I got to try many ingredients that were completely novel to me. One of those items was a box of Trahana.

Trahana is a Grecian pasta that is hearty, resembling pastina. These itty bitty squares can be boiled in water, just like pasta, and become porridge-like when cooked. It is made with either semolina, wheat flour, bulgur or cracked wheat.

Dairy-based trahana comes in two types: sweet and sour. Sweet is made with whole milk, typically goat’s milk, and sour trahana is made with yogurt or buttermilk. Try the World sent me the sweet version.

While Try the World provided an Ikarian Fisherman’s Soup recipe, utilizing trahana, I found a different Grecian recipe for this product. I decided to make this simple Trahana Porridge with a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of olive-oil. This meal is also garnished with feta cheese and plain 2% Fage yogurt. I topped it all off with refreshing mint, a traditional Grecian herb.

This soup is so comforting and familiar, much like chicken soup. Its simplicity highlighted all the Grecian ingredients, such as the full-bodied pasta, tangy cheese and tart yogurt. I love using Fage Greek Yogurt because it is creamy, thick and tart. It’s truly the real deal. A squirt of warmed lemon and swirl of olive oil brightened the dish.

Simple Trahana Porridge with Lemon & Olive Oil

• Servings: 1-2
• Time: 15mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

A simple bowl of Greek comfort.

This porridge is bright and vibrant with a comforting appeal. If you can’t find trahana pasta, use any small pasta.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 c. trahana (or pastina)
• 5 cups chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Whole lemon, cut in half
• 3 tablespoons feta, crumbled
• Plain 2% Fage Greek Yogurt for garnish (optional)
• Mint, chopped for garnish (optional)
  

Directions

1. In a medium soup pot bring stock to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, reduce the heat and simmer.
2. Add trahana and cook for about 10 minutes until is tender.
3. Heat frying pan on medium-high and place half a lemon cut side down. Brown lemon for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from trahana and lemon from heat and squeeze lemon juice into soup.
5. Serve soup in bowls with drizzled olive oil. Top with feta and yogurt. Garnish with mint leaves.