Greek · Authentic-ish Greek
Fasolakia
158 kcal a serving, against 521 for the traditional version. That is 363 kcal off, or 70%, with 6.2g of protein. Serves 6. 50 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Huge quantities of green beans and starchy potatoes cooked very slowly in a massive pool of olive oil, mixed with sweet onions and crushed tomatoes. The vegetables absorb the fat as they break down, resulting in a melting, heavy stew. You eat it warm or at room temperature, usually with a loaf of bread to mop up the orange oil left at the bottom of the bowl.
What changed, and what each change costs
250g of olive oil during cooking down to 30g stirred in off the heat
Boiling vegetables in pure fat drives the calories through the roof. Cooking the beans in chicken stock gets them perfectly tender without the fat. Stirring a little raw oil in off the heat coats the beans perfectly and gives you the exact same flavour on your tongue.
What it costs you. The sauce lacks that incredibly thick, emulsified texture that only comes from reducing massive amounts of oil and tomato together over a low heat for a long time. So: a lighter broth. A glossy oil slick was never on the table once the fat came out.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 521 | 158 |
| Protein | 6.2g | 6.2g |
| Fat | 42.2g | 6.3g |
| Saturated fat | 5.9g | 1g |
| Carbohydrate | 34.2g | 22.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.2g | 3.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Greek prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk, celery.
The method is in the book
I honestly prefer this to the original. The raw olive oil finishes it with a grassy, peppery kick that you completely lose when you boil the fat for 1 hour. The feta melts slightly into the hot tomato sauce, making it rich and sharp. You can eat a massive bowl of it and get on with your day.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Greek, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback