25th of March in Marpissa | Paros island

A story and a recipe…

The 25^th of March is a double celebration day in Greece. It is the anniversary of the day that the Greeks-under the motto Freedom or Death- started their revolution against the Turkish occupation in 1821, that led to their indepenence. It is also a religious celebration of the Evangelismos tis Panagias (Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary).

In the traditional village of Marpissa in the island of Paros, the celebration activities started some days ago: the schoolboys learned poems suitable for the day; The houses and streets were decorated with our blue and white flag; People went shopping in order to be prepared for the typical food of the 25^th of March: bakaliaros skordalia (fried cod accompanied by a garlic spread).

I am touched by the level of people’s participation to festivities here. The atmosphere is so much different than in the big cities; everything is an occasion for them to get involved, to connect, to celebrate…

So, on Sunday morning, the beautiful village of Marpissa looked like a busy hive! It’s  picturesque white and grey streets were full of children walking in a hurry to go to the parade, of parents taking photographs, of housewives taking plates with bakalaros skordalia to their neighbor to taste, of old people talking about how they used to celebrate when they were young.

By noon, everything calmed down…People started gathering to houses, to taste the traditional plate of bakaliaros skordalia, patzaria (boiled beet roots), fresh bread and local wine. And by four o’clock in the afternoon, you could see smiling people enjoying the warm spring sun by the sea or in the countryside. 

A few hours later, when the sun had set leaving a purple sky, something amazing happened: people came out of their houses, holding torches and lanterns, to participate to the custom of labadiforia (walking and singing traditional songs of the revolution holding lighted torches). Being able to walk in Marpissa, surrounded by friends and familiar faces, sharing the same experience that my grandparents lived, moved me.

It was the perfect ending for a perfect spring day, where both nature and the people of Marpissa celebrated.

words:  maria alipranti

photos: christos drazos

 

Bakaliaros Skordalia | The Recipe 

(Batter-fried Salt Cod with Garlic spread)

For the Bakaliaros:

 

• 1 kg of salted cod
• 1 can of beer
• 2 cups of flour

 

Put the cod in a large pot of water for 24 hours – changing the water every two hours, in order for the fish to become less salty. Drain and cut it in pieces.

Prepare the batter, by putting the beer in a bowl, then adding flour gradually until you have a thick batter. Dip each cod piece in the batter, let the excess drip off.

Put olive oil into a pan and heat it in strong fire. Fry the fish until golden.

 

For the Skordalia:

 

• 2 cloves of garlic (or more if you like it hot…)
• 4 slices of bread, soaked in water and drained
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of vinegar
• 1 pinch of salt

 

In the blender bowl of the food processor blend the garlic with the salt, add the bread first and then slowly add the olive oil and vinegar, until you have a thick and creamy spread.

* In Paros island, the traditional skordalia  is called alliada, and it is made only with garlic, olive oil and salt: Put one garlic (peeled) and a pinch of salt in a mortar to mince. Gradually add olive oil and keep blending until you have a thick spread.