Get a taste of Evia with this recipe for Kourkoubines Pasta with Figs and Honey
This summer I had the exciting opportunity to travel to Greece’s island of Evia, even though I never left Los Angeles. Travel Evia reached out to me to develop a recipe based on some of the island’s most prized ingredients. That’s how this recipe for local Kourkoubines Pasta with Figs and Honey was born.
Where is Evia?
Evia is the second largest island in Greece after Crete. It’s located in the Aegean Sea across the Euripus Strait from the mainland—about a two-hour drive from Athens. Yes, you can drive there. It’s connected to the mainland by a bridge. Evia boasts beautiful beaches, olive groves, vineyards, archaeological sites, and more. But you should really keep an eye out for some of their distinct local products when you visit.
Delicious products from Evia
The island produces a bounty of delicious local products like the ones I used in this recipe: extra virgin olive oil, local honey, figs of Kymi (PDO), and kourkoubines pasta from Mouries Restaurant. Each ingredient had its own distinct characteristics: the pepperiness of the olive oil; earthiness of the figs; the honey came from oak and forest flowers, which is really the landscape of the island in a jar. Kourkoubines are a local pasta, sort of like a hefty cavatelli. They are thicker and more robust than most pasta shapes, so much so that after boiling them, you let them sit in the water for another 20 minutes. In this recipe they are absolutely perfect paired with the figs and honey.
Other delicious ingredients
Additionally, I used some pancetta for richness, but this is optional and you can easily omit it. I also used petimezi, which is a cooked grape must/molasses (also known as saba or mosto cotto). That added a little acid to the dish. If you don’t have any on hand, you could substitute some aged balsamic. I topped off the dish with some kefalotiri, which is a salty cheese similar to pecorino-romano that is made with goat and sheep’s milk. I used arugula to rustically garnish the dish.
Have you ever been to Evia? Let me know what you loved most in the comments.
I also want to thank the producers who sent me these delicious product to work with:
- Melissourgion for the honey
- Askada Farm for the figs
- Olive oil from Eleonas Hotel
- Kourkoubines from Mouries Restaurant
How to make this recipe
Travel to the Greek island of Evia with this delicous recipe.
Ingredients
- 500 grams dried kourkoubines pasta***
- 114 grams thick-cut bacon or pancetta, diced
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup dried figs, quartered
- 1/4 cup Petimezi, or aged balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup Kefalotiri (or other hard salty cheese like Romano), grated (more for garnish)
- 1 cup arugula, (extra for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling add 1/4 cup kosher salt and the kourkoubines. Boil for 15 minutes and then let sit for 20 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta is cooking, in a deep sautéte pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add pancetta. Brown for 5 minutes, until the fat has rendered out.
- Add onions, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions become translucent, about another 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about a minute, until fragrant. Then add the figs, petimezi, 1/2 cup of pasta water, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Stir to combine. Turn down heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Uncover the sauce and add arugula. Cook down the greens until they have wilted.
- Add the kourkoubines to the sauce, and combine into the sauce. Cook together for 2 minutes so the kourkoubines can soak up the sauce. Add a little more pasta water if the mixture seems dry.
- Mix in most of the kefalotiri, but save some additional for garnish at the end.
- Spoon pasta into bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, additional kefalotiri, and top with arugula.
Notes
If you don't have Kourkoubines pasta, use cavatelli and adjust cooking time accordingly.
Nutrition Facts
Kourkoubines Pasta with Figs and Honey
Serves: 4 servings
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 897.96 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 24.79 g | 36.9% | |
| Saturated Fat 7.95 g | 35% | |
| Trans Fat 0.04 g | ||
| Cholesterol 35.97 mg | 11.7% | |
| Sodium 679.85 mg | 28.3% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 143.07 g | 47.7% | |
| Dietary Fiber 8.15 g | 32% | |
| Sugars 41.67 g | ||
| Protein 27.37 g | ||
| Vitamin A 7.59 % | Vitamin C 6.17 % | |
| Calcium 24.13 % | Iron 22.06 % | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Sweet Greek Personal Chef and Culinary Services Los Angeles, CA