Anissa Helou: Mediterranean Street Food

From Cosa Bolle in Pentola:
Maps can have unexpected effects on one's perceptions; when I have helped Italian friends plan trips in the US I have often seen them look at a road atlas, measure the distance from thumb to forefinger and figure that the distance (about 2 inches, say) translates to a couple of hours. At which point I point out that the scale is different than they're used to, and that it will take a lot longer to drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The same thing happens when Americans look at a map of the Mediterranean -- since Americans are used to the much greater sizes of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, they tend to overestimate distances in the Mediterranean: the entire French Mediterranean coast is only a 6-hour highway drive, while the Italian peninsula, which would just about cross the Mediterranean if it weren't at an angle, is only about a thousand miles long. One can see Corsica from Tuscany on a very clear day; Sicily is less than a hundred miles from Africa, the southeastern part of the Italian Peninsula is not far from the Greek islands, and they in turn are not that far from Turkey or the Middle East. Considering that the Mediterranean peoples are also all seafaring, it should come as no surprise that one can find closely related dishes throughout the region, especially in the major port cities where sailors saw (and likely tasted) what those in the neighboring boats were preparing, and also exchanged foods and recipes with the locals. As one might expect, many of the shared dishes fall into the category of street food, things that can be whipped up quickly and enjoyed while on the move -- or be bought from vendors, who of course also talked with the sailors and observed what they were preparing in their boats.

Anissa Helou grew up in Beirut wishing she could enjoy the offerings of the vendors and being told by her elder relatives that girls from good families didn't eat street food, which is probably why she has had a fascination with the subject ever since. Her interest is our fortune, because she has amassed a fascinating collection of recipes from throughout the Mediterranean Basin. It must have been fun to gather them: "[Eating street food] is a great way to get to know both the food and the people of the country you are visiting (obviously, a rudimentary or, even better, decent knowledge of the local language is an advantage). The food is often prepared and cooked right in front of you, and just by watching, you can learn about ingredients and techniques, not to mention what the food should look and taste like. You also get to make friends with the locals..." (p. xix).

And, once she has the recipes she ties them together, in some case by presenting similar dishes from different areas, and in others more directly, by mentioning the variations that occur from place to place. For example, in Cazzilli which are Potato Croquettes (p. 59):

The word cazzillo means "little prick," an amusing and rather appropriate name for these Sicilian potato croquettes. In Genoa they make similar croquettes, which they call cuculli (from the Roman word cuclus, meaning "hood"; this does not really explain why the word has come to describe fritters, which can also be made with chickpea flour or onion or stoccafisso fish), while in Morocco they make potato cakes instead of croquettes (ma'qüda), with a different, spicier mash. For the Moroccan version, use the same amount of potatoes but add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 whole egg, and 2 tablespoons each finely chopped cilantro and flat-leaf parsley; instead of black pepper use 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 1 1/2 teaspoons each ground cumin and paprika. Shape the mash into flat round cakes, dip in egg yolk, and pan-fry in a little vegetable oil.

Makes 24

1 pound potatoes

1 egg

3 tablespoons grated caciocavallo or pecorino cheese

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

Vegetable oil for frying

Boil the potatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until done but not splitting. When they have cooled slightly, peel and pass them through a fine food mill.

Separate the egg; lightly beat the yolk. Add it to the potatoes, along with the grated cheese, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Shape the mixture into small sausage-like shapes about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch thick.

Roll the croquettes in the lightly beaten egg white first, then in the bread crumbs.

Heat enough oil to deep fry the croquettes. When it is very hot -- test by dipping a croquette in the oil; if it bubbles around the croquette it is ready -- fry as many as will fit comfortably in the pan until crisp and golden all over, about 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on several layers of paper towels. Serve hot or warm.

The only question is which to make first. In all, Ms. Helou has collected about 140 recipes, which include: Soups; snacks and dips (a hodgepodge with everything from stuffed vegetables to cazzilli to salads); pizzas, breads, and savory pastries; sandwiches (from chicken schwarma to pan bagnat); barbecues (primarily kebabs); one pot meals (from cuscus to chicken with garlic); sweets and desserts (from Lebanese shortbread to Almond granita); and drinks (from pomegranate juice to mint tea). A fascinating, and very different look at the Mediterranean.

Practical things:: Mediterranean Street Food, by Anissa Helou; 277 pages, including the index, and profusely illustrated with Ms. Helou's photographs.; Harper Collins, N.Y. N.Y. 2002; ISBN 0060195967

Looks Good! I'd like to see the Order Form.