Maniati Foods (Tsouchti) Pasta with Eggs
Kalo Mina! Hello December!
About Mani
I’m so happy I get to introduce my family’s own region of Greek food: Mani! Located in the southern part of the Peloponnese, roughly three hours south of Athens, it’s a place unlike any other. Mani is full of beautiful stone homes, historic towers, and endless stretches of wild land.
Where My Family Is From
The village where my father was born had only ten families living there. Parasyros and Kotronas are the two places closest to my heart, but over the past few years I’ve also adopted Limeni as a favorite. You can spot the beautiful waters of Limeni in the third photo on the far right.
Life in the Mani Region
You’ll likely hear donkeys in the distance or see goats and cows wandering freely across the hills. Mani feels untouched—raw, wild, and deeply traditional.
A Local Saying: “Geia sou, Koróni mou”
There’s an old Maniati saying you might still hear: “Geia sou, koróni mou!” or “koróna mou.” It’s a warm greeting locals share with one another. Although I did get a funny look from a younger kid when I said it at the restaurant in Gytheio where we enjoyed this tsouchti!
A Place Like No Other
It’s a place where I always say, “San tin Mani den ehei,” meaning there’s no place like Mani. I shed a few tears saying goodbye to my family and the land. I will be back—I promise!
The Spirit of the Maniates
Maniates are incredibly strong-willed and may come across a little harsh at first—but don’t worry, that’s just their exterior. Their hearts are as deep as their history.
If You Visit Mani…
If you ever travel to Mani, tell them Kouzounas sent you… or Kalapothakos. 🙂
I think you will have to visit for yourself to see what I mean, and maybe you might need to wait when Travel Mazi Mou hosts an adventure there! 💙
From savory to sweet foods, I hope you enjoy my Mani week of foods. Bring a little bit of Mani to your table.
Today, I’m sharing a very comforted dish called tsouchti which is pasta with burned butter, mizithra, and fried eggs. It’s so good, and definitely even better when you dip rustic bread into the egg. If you have pasta, eggs, and mizithra then this dish is for you!
Tsouchti Pasta with Egg Recipe
A traditional Maniati pasta recipe served with fried egg and Mizithra.
Servings: 4 (small portions)
Ingredients:
- 1 bag (8 oz) bag of hilopites or pappardelle pasta (see notes)
- 3–4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (see notes)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Mizithra cheese
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 4 large eggs -1 per person (see notes)
- A handful of finely chopped toasted walnuts
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Method:
- Prepare the pasta by boiling it in a salted pot of water. I like to cook my pasta until it is just al dente.
- Drain the pasta and set it aside on a plate.
- In a large pot, add the butter, olive oil, and lemon zest. Toss to combine over medium heat. Once the butter begins to turn a light golden brown, add the pasta. Toss well to coat the pasta in the butter mixture.
- Add the grated Mizithra cheese and serve with toasted walnuts and one runny fried egg on top. Finish with freshly cracked pepper and extra Mizithra if desired. Kali Orexi!
Some notes:
- Burned butter & Mizithra is a matchmade in heaven!
- When you make the fried eggs, I really love to keep the yolk slightly runny. The yolk adds to this dish!
- Add some fresh lemon zest to the mix for more flavor.
- You can add toasted walnuts to the mix for texture.
- I like to use hilopites (pasta from Mani) but you can definitely use pappardelle pasta.
- Happy eggs work really well in this dish if you need access to fresh eggs.
- If you need to use more butter or olive oil feel free to do so.
