Vegetarian Recipe for Patates Yahni: A Heartwarming Greek Classic

Globally, kitchen enthusiasts often find themselves turn a simple bag of potatoes into a satisfying evening meal. In my kitchen experiments could result in a spicy Sri Lankan potato curry, a savory Gujarati version, or even a patiently simmered Spanish tortilla for a special occasion. On this occasion, however, the answer comes from Greece. Yahni denotes a classic Greek preparation technique: vegetables braised amply in olive oil and tomatoes until perfectly tender. It’s not just a dish—it’s a vote of the simple, the slow, and the profoundly good (and yes, it ultimately is a fantastic dinner).

Greek Braised Potatoes

Enjoy this with a rustic loaf or grilled bread for a hearty meal. It also goes perfectly with a assortment of small sides or even served alongside a sunny-side-up egg for a unexpectedly great breakfast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 people

You Will Need

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• Fine sea salt
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1kg desiree potatoes (or other waxy variety), cut into 2½cm wedges
• 2 tsp dried oregano, plus extra for garnish
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 x 400g tins of finely chopped tomatoes
• 150g feta cheese
• 75g Greek yoghurt
• 1 lemon, finely zested, plus 1 tbsp of juice
• 80g pitted kalamata olives

Instructions

1. The Base

Heat five tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, deep-sided pan that has a cover. Set it over a moderately high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion slices and a teaspoon of salt. Cook, giving it an occasional stir, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is yielding enough to yield to a wooden spoon.

2. Building Flavor

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another two minutes, stirring constantly. Then, toss in the potato wedges and oregano, stirring until they are evenly covered in the oil. Spoon in the tomato puree and cook for one minute. Tip in the chopped tomatoes along with 400ml of water. Increase the heat until it boils, then cover the pan, turn down the heat to a steady bubble, and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

Step Three

Meanwhile, prepare the whipped feta. In a small bowl with a hand blender, combine the feta, Greek yoghurt, lemon zest and juice, three tablespoons of olive oil, and a big pinch or two of salt until the mixture is luxuriously creamy.

Step Four

Mix the pitted kalamata olives into the potato stew. Let it cook uncovered for a further 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and the sauce has thickened nicely.

Step Five

Serve the hot yahni into serving dishes. Top each with a healthy dollop of the whipped feta and a scattering of dried oregano.

This dish is a celebration to the magic of basic produce turned into something special by slow braising. Enjoy!