Recipe: Shrimp Baked in Tomato Sauce with Feta

Shrimp Baked in
Tomato Sauce with Feta

Garides Saganaki
Makes 4 servings

Garides (shrimp) saganaki (from the Turkish sahan, meaning "a large copper dish") is not a traditional recipe. It was probably created in the early 1960s, as tourists began to flood the Greek islands. Soon, though, the dish became a favorite starter for both Greeks and foreigners, served in upscale seaside taverns all over the country. Each portion usually comes to the table in its own two-handled pan, right out of the oven.

The sauce is scrumptious, so make sure you provide plenty of fresh crusty bread for dipping.

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2-1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or
    1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pounds medium shrimp,
   peeled and deveined, tails left on
1/2 cup finely diced tomato,
   drained in a colander for 5 minutes
Salt
2/3 cup coarsely grated hard feta cheese (see Note)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat4eaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the pepper or pepper flakes and the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes, or until they start to become firm. Add the tomato and salt to taste and cook for 2 minutes more, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Transfer to a baking dish or four individual gratin dishes.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 2 to 3 minutes more. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Note:
If you leave feta cheese uncovered in the refrigerator overnight, it will dry a bit and can then be easily grated.

Buy the Book!

The Foods of the Greek Islands
Cooking and Culture at the
Crossroads of the Mediterranean
By Aglaia Kremezi
Houghton Mifflin, November 2000
Hardcover, $35.00
Full-color photographs throughout
ISBN: 0-395-98211-1
Recipe reprinted by permission.