THE BEST APPETIZERS FOR MALAGOUZIA
Yes, we know that Malagouzia is one of your favorite Greek grape varieties as we also know that summer season is pretty much Malagouzia season. Its juicy, fruity and aromatic character, combined with balanced acidity, make it an ideal aperitif, but this does not mean that we cannot pair it with many different summer appetizers. And who is always here for all the food and wine dilemmas that concern you? Me, the wine geek of your heart (I hope)! Let’s go!
So, let's start from the beginning. Malagouzia, depending on the climate in which it grows, gives wines with slightly different profiles. For example, in general, those from the North or those that come from a cool climate have more acidity and more intense botanical character while those from central Greece have more body, tropical fruit, floral character and lower acidity. Generally speaking, Malagouzia has medium body and oily texture. For this reason, it goes well with medium-intensity dishes with balanced acidity, while it goes quite well with vegetables, fresh cheeses and salads.
- Bruschetta with ksinomizithra cheese, roasted grapes and aromatic mint oil
This dish is very easy to make and super summery and will impress anyone that would try it. The steps are simple. First you bake the slices of bread in the oven and in the same pan you put aside the grapes with olive oil, salt, pepper and a pinch of brown sugar. Once they get a nice even color, they are ready (the bread will be ready faster so keep that in mind). For the aromatic olive oil, blend a handful of mint with some salt and extra virgin olive oil and then strain the mixture. Then top the slices of bread with the cheese, garnish with the roasted grapes, the aromatic olive oil and a pinch of fleur du sel. Ideally accompany this dish with Malagouzia Kourites Kamkoutis Winery.
- Shrimp salad with dill, finocchio, orange and spring onion
This summery and aromatic dish will definitely take off your favorite Malagouzia. For starters, you peel some shrimps and cook them for about 2-3 minutes, if they are small, they don’t need more time. When they are ready, you toss them in a bowl where you have first mixed a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, juice and zest of a lime, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. There you will add the spring onion, orange fillets and finocchio cut into thin slices. Mix well and garnish with fresh dill. Try this recipe with Malagouzia Kitrvs Winery.
- Parsley spread from Syros Island with pita bread and vegetables
If you have been to Syros, it is impossible that you haven’t tried this recipe which is a bit reminiscent of parsley pesto. First of all, blend in a multimixer plenty of parsley (almost a bunch, without the thick stalks), along with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, 1-2 cloves of garlic and blanched almonds. Some put stale bread but I prefer almonds because it becomes creamier and lighter. Serve in a bowl with grilled pita breads, cherry tomatoes and chopped carrots and put in your glass Malagouzia Anatolikos Vineyards.
- Spinach pie bites
I know it sounds weird but it really is a very easy to make dish. You practically prepare the filling of a spinach pie quite finely chopped. How? Sauté only the tender leaves of baby spinach, dill, parsley, aromatic herbs that you like, spring onions in a deep saucepan until their volume drops and they wither slightly. Then add grated feta (soft to make a nice cream) and stir well. You have cut and baked some phyllo pastry or tortillas with olive oil on top, until they become crispy like chips. Once the company arrives, make the bites with a little of the filling on each chip. Raw olive oil, a bit of extra feta on top and in our glasses Malagouzia Vre Chatzivaritis Winery!
- Prosciutto with ricotta and zucchini
Instead of ricotta can you use tsalafouti or some other light creamy cheese. The preparation is very simple. Mix the cheese with a little extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Spread the slices of prosciutto and fill them with a good spoon from the cheese mixture. Fold the prosciutto like a dumpling, serve on a platter and garnish with ribbons of raw zucchini that have previously been sprinkled with lemon, basil, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. If you find all this confusing, you can do it all the other way around. Thin slices of zucchini on a plate with lemon, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, slices of prosciutto here and there and balls of fresh cheese (they are sold ready-made in many delis and super markets, do not panic). In your glass Malagouzia Adam Wines!
Cheers!
Eva Markaki
Wine Geek
