Patsas (tripe soup) is a common dish in Greek cuisine and although widely considered to be a hangover remedy, there are also those who simply prefer to start their day with this dish. We hope you enjoy our recipe.
Patsas (tripe soup) is a common dish in Greek cuisine and although widely considered to be a hangover remedy, there are also those who simply prefer to start their day with this dish. The Greek version, called patsás (πατσάς), may be seasoned with red wine vinegar and garlic (skordostoubi), or thickened with avgolemono. Our version uses pork trotters however other versions sometimes use calf feet with the tripe.
Back in the day, patsas was cooked for many hours in the traditional neighbourhood wood-fired oven. The cooking vessel would be placed in the oven late at night and removed at 5am the next morning, giving the dish the delicious taste of a slow-cooked meal.
Patsas can be found in patsatzidika and mageiria (restaurants specialising in home-style cooking) throughout Greece. When ordering patsas, be sure to specify whether you want it hontrokommeno (with thickly-cut meat) or psilokommeno (with finely-sliced meat).
Greek Easter Tripe Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the soup:
1.5 kg tripe, chopped
4 legs of pork (trotters)
3.5 litres of beef broth
Oregano
1 large onion
3 bay leaves
10 cloves garlic
peer, coarsley ground
salt and pepper powder
thyme
For the egg and lemon sauce:
2 whole eggs
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup of broth
Method
Blanch the tripe : Place tripe in a pot with water and let it boil for 20 minutes then drain and put back in the pot with the pigs' trotters
Wrap in a piece of thin cloth the garlic, oregano, thyme and crushed pepper and onion
Take a piece of string and wrap one end to a parcel that you have created and attached the other end to the edge of the pot. Add the salt and pepper add the beef broth and
Cook the tripe with broth of beef and herb parcel with spices for 2-3 hours
When cooked remove trotters and separate meat from the bone and cut tripe into chunks. Place them back in the pot with the broth and boil for a further 10 to 15 minutes
Remove the parcel with spices
In a blender or milk shaker add the eggs lemon juice and a cup of the broth
Mix well until the liquid becomes white and frothy. Pour into the rest of the soup, stirring as you pour. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh ground black pepper and some crusty bread. Enjoy!
The soup can be served without the egg and lemon sauce.