Sunset cooking at Akamatra village…

“Sta Perix”, with Michalis Plytas

We drove up the mountain road to be in Akamatra village just before sunset: the magic hour is always the best hour to visit a traditional village (and maybe have a glass of ouzo there;), when everything is painted gold and when the people’s contour seems to be fading in the light.

Our friend Michalis Plytas invited us to have an aperitif, at the balcony of his local Ikarian restaurant Sta Perix. I was so glad – Michalis is one of the most goodhearted, cool and creative people I know. He loves to cook and every time we meet, he always disappears in the kitchen and in no time he prepares something super delicious… We wanted to try the new recipes that he and his collaborator Giannis Pappas created, based on the pure, fresh products of the island…

…The only problem was that we couldn’t eat anything. That’s the thing after all those visits to family and friends: you get so many wonderful local treats that it is hard to resist… and by the time we arrived at the restaurant we were not at all hungry. Michalis didn’t seem to mind, though; with his usual smile, he started cooking outside, ena mezedaki, as he told us.

Soon, the aromas of the fried feta cheese wrapped in phyllo pastry overwhelmed us; the ouzo was mixed with local honey: a sauce that smelled just like the Aegean countryside… We started looking at each other…we suddenly felt so hungry! Michali’s feta phyllo mezé was excellent; easy and appetizing, the perfect dish to serve with a cold glass of ouzo that we enjoyed with the company of friends as we watched the sun goes down.

A couple of hours later we left the friendly restaurant ambience to stop by Michali’s family house and say hello: a few minutes away from the restaurant, there was his family in a yard full of flowers, around a big wooden table, talking about food, exchanging recipes, laughing and eating… the inspiration of the cook and the routes of his charming restaurant.

The recipe of Michali’s feta phyllo mezé:

 

•  1 sheet of phyllo pastry
•  1 piece of feta cheese
•  olive oil
•  a shot glass of ouzo
•  a tablespoon of honey
•  black sesame seeds to sprinkle

 

Wrap the feta cheese into the fyllo pastry and fold it like an envelope.

Fry it in hot olive oil, until golden and crispy; Put it in a plate and cut it in half. Mix the ouzo with the honey in a small jar and purr it over the feta fyllo. Sprinkle with the black sesame seeds and serve.