Greek · Authentic-ish Greek
Tiganites
294 kcal a serving, against 594 for the traditional version. That is 300 kcal off, or 51%, with 15.4g of protein. Serves 4. 25 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A basic batter of plain flour and whole milk, poured straight into a hot frying pan filled with 150g of olive oil. The dough drinks the oil as it fries. Once it comes out crispy and golden, it gets completely submerged in honey and dusted with crushed walnuts.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of olive oil down to a 5g brush
Frying in a pool of oil saturates the flour. A tiny brush of oil on a good non-stick frying pan stops them sticking while stripping out a huge amount of fat.
What it costs you. You lose that shattering, oily crunch on the edges. The pancakes are softer and look more like standard drop scones.
Whole milk down to fat-free Greek yoghurt and egg whites
The original batter is just carbohydrates. Yoghurt and egg whites bring a massive hit of protein, making the pancakes thick and structurally sound.
What it costs you. You end up with a much denser bite. The version that's a delicate, airy sponge is still out there and still better. The yoghurt also adds a slight tang that the original lacks.
150g of honey down to 50g
Honey is pure sugar. You only need enough to coat the walnuts and give the top pancake a glaze. The flavour is strong enough to carry the dish in small amounts.
What it costs you. You miss out on the sticky puddle at the bottom of the plate. The lower pancakes in the stack will be relatively dry.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 594 | 294 |
| Protein | 10.4g | 15.4g |
| Fat | 25.8g | 6.8g |
| Saturated fat | 4.1g | 0.8g |
| Carbohydrate | 83.3g | 43.6g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.8g | 5.3g |
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. gluten, milk, eggs, nuts.
The method is in the book
This is a brutal set of changes, but it works. The dry frying pan completely alters the texture, swapping a greasy crunch for a soft, pillowy finish. The yoghurt gives the batter a brilliant lift. You get all the classic flavours of cinnamon, walnuts and honey, but you can actually eat a whole stack without feeling completely sluggish.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Greek, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback