The island of Corfu has, apart from its significant history, a unique culture and extraordinary flavors. Influenced by the Venetians, Corfu’s local dishes and foods retain a distinct character and taste incomparable to the rest of Greece. Dishes such as pastitsada, sofrito sykomaida, mandolato, and bolsevikos, are some of the local specialties that stand out.
We could not but start this tour with the well-known pastitsada. The classic Corfiot pasta, which has been cooked for hundreds of years throughout the island, has special characteristics that make it truly unique. The traditional pastitsada is made with rooster and thick macaroni, similar to those used for lasagna. This unique recipe is not a simple pasta with tomato sauce since the presence of it is minimal. What makes the pasta special and gives it its particular color is the abundance of spices used. Indeed, the “spetcheriko,” the traditional mixture of paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and many other aromatics, together with the many chopped onions, creates the rich color and texture of the pastitsada sauce.
Another famous dish of Corfu is the sofrito. The fundamental ingredient of sofrito is veal, which is sliced and filleted, fried in oil, and then cooked with vinegar, garlic, parsley, and wine. It is also served with either rice or French fries, making a complete meal. It is the exceptional combination of flavors of the sofrito that makes it unique. It should also be noted that the name soffritto, apparently derived from the Italian word soffritto, means lightly fried.
Moving on, it is also worth mentioning a dish that contains fish. That is none other than the burdeto. This uncommon stew shares several characteristics with the pastitsada. The abundance of spices gives the dish unique flavors, aromas, and the traditional burning sensation. It can be cooked with a variety of fish, but most often, the well-known scorpion fish or other rockfish is preferred.
Leaving behind the main dishes, it is worth mentioning some more unique dishes and desserts of Corfu. One of them is the sykomaida. The sykomaida is created from dried figs, fermented with ouzo, must, and mastic. The whole is enriched with a hefty dose of pepper, thus composing a unique combination of ingredients that touches a wide range of taste sensations. The sykomaida is wrapped in walnut, chestnut, or vine leaves until ready to consume.
Corfu has many delicacies and sweets that make up a unique gastronomic journey. Among these, kumquat could not be missing. This particular bitter-sour citrus fruit can be found in liqueurs, spoon sweets, jams, and even dried with sugar. The kumquat, which in Chinese means golden orange, began to be cultivated in Corfu at the Merlin estate in Dassia by the British agronomist Sidney Louis Walter Merlin, and from 1924 until today, the subspecies “margarita” has been an exportable product of the Corfiot land.
In conclusion, it is worth mentioning that Corfu has many more unique traditional foods, dishes, and sweets. Some can be found even today, especially in the Corfiot countryside. Foods such as tsigarelli, wild boar, poulenta, savoro, and many more are living proof of Corfu’s long tradition. Additionally, sweets such as mandolato and bolsevikos survive as an example of Corfiot gastronomy and pastry. In conclusion, the local specialties of the island reflect not only its history but also the temperament, tastes, and needs of its inhabitants.
