This past Monday was “Kathara Deftera” (Clean Monday), the start of the 40-day fast preceding the Greek Orthodox Easter.

That’s when my favourite bread finally shows up: the Greek Lagana bread. Made only once a year. Only on that day! (I talked about it briefly a couple of years back … you’ll find it in the “Appetizers” section).

On that day, along with that delicious bread, they also serve a wonderful feast of non-meat foods, special to the pre-Easter fast. Its typically an outdoor day, usually beautiful, sunny, and warm. Nature almost always cooperates, and this year was no exception! Everyone is out in the open air, eating, drinking, celebrating. That’s when children -and their parents- show off with their bright colourful kites, to adorn the skies for everyone.

One of the many specialties served that day is of course Taramoslata. A tangy dip made of fish roe, bread, onion, lemon, and olive oil. Fairly easy to make, just keep tasting as you go along, adding a bit of this, a bit of that, and you will for sure end up with a delicious taramosalata!

Before I start, I’d like to show you the difference between the types of taramas that you can buy. Steer clear of the reddish looking one, its got dye, and it is very salty. You want to buy the beige coloured one, also known as “aspros” (white).

Ingredients:

200 grs bread

120 grs tarama

a small onion

juice of 1 lemon (or 2)

olive oil

Method:

The bread needs to be 2 or 3 days old. Also never use what I call “plastic” bread (the pre-packaged kind sold in a supermarket!), as once you put it through a food processor it turns to glue!

So, remove the crust off the bread, slice it, put it in a colander and soak it in water. Squeeze out the water with your hand, and put it in the food processor.

grate your onion very fine (as in picture), and add it to the bread

squeeze a whole lemon on it and start whirling in the food processor

add a bit of olive oil as you’re whirling just to get a nice smooth mixture

add your tarama, whirl, taste, add more lemon if needed

add olive oil a bit at a time while processing (a bit like making mayonnaise)

Personally I keep tasting as I’m going along and I add more of what’s needed according to my taste.

That’s it, you’re done!

Spoon some on a flat plat, and drizzle some olive oil on top.

Serve with sliced bread. I always toast my bread even when its fresh, as I prefer it a bit crunchy.

Store left over in a tupperware and keep in the fridge.

Enjoy!