Beans

There are numerous varieties of dried beans, the most popular in Greece being the slim, elongated cannellini bean. Unlike the broad/fava bean, which is indigenous to the country, the cannellini bean comes from Argentina. Greeks have embraced it with enthusiasm, however, and it is the basis of fasolatha, the most Greek of Greek dishes, a hearty soup that has nourished generations of Greeks through good times and bad.

Cannellini beans are also combined with lamb or pork in slow-simmered stews. Also highly favoured are the huge, fleshy fasolia gigantes. These beans are cultivated in northern Greece, the best coming from Kastoria. When dried, they are used in soups, as purées, in casseroles and with meat and salads. Aside from their value in providing protein during the winter months, they are staple foods during periods of fasting, particularly Lent.