Eggplant: What are the 6 Greek varieties?

Eggplants are cultivated from one end of Greece to the other, and their annual production amounts to 45,000 tons, coming from 21,000 acres of crops.

The majority of cultivation is outdoors, but the high demand for eggplant in the off-season has increased interest in greenhouse cultivation so that it can be found almost all year round.

As it is a pure summer vegetable, we will find nearly all the Greek varieties in outdoor markets and at economical prices only during July and August. In the remaining months, we see eggplants mainly from greenhouse productions, and the price definitely goes up.

Apart from the well-known and widespread variety of flasks, what are the others and in which regions of Greece are they grown?

Let's get to know them better by analysing their characteristics:

Flasks

They are the most widespread, as they are also grown in greenhouses. They have an oval shape and a very dark colour, almost black, and have a sweetish taste, but depending on the season, they can also be somewhat bitter.

Their flesh is firm, with some spores. The rather hard skin does not disintegrate during cooking, so you can use it for papoutsakia, briam, or moussaka.

Tsakonika

Thin skin and violet colour with white stripes. They are grown in the Peloponnese, but only those from the Leonidio plain are considered PDO. In the market, you will find them mainly Argolis and Arcadia.

Sweet, they have seeds depending on the cultivar and are perfect for dishes like imam bayildi, as they caramelise and bind the sauce.

Lagadas

They have an elongated shape and a deep violet colour. Once cooked, they have a mild, slightly sweet flavour and a tender, almost creamy texture, and they are less bitter than some other varieties.

They are sought after, as their production is very limited. They can perfectly accompany roast veal or other stews.

White Santorini

Eggplants have a spherical-oval shape and a sweet taste, probably due to the dry-thermal climate and dry cultivation. Their flesh is firm, their skin cohesive, and they don't have many spores inside.

They make an excellent eggplant puree, especially if lightly smoked. They don't absorb too much oil in the pan, and their flesh remains crisp. They also accompany fish or seafood dishes as a side dish.

Green Anafis

They are spherical-oval in shape and light green in colour. They are grown on a limited scale, mainly in Anafi and Santorini, but cultivation has also moved to Naxos and Tinos today. They have firm flesh and a sweet taste, while they do not have many seeds.

They can be grilled, e.g., vegetarian eggplant souvlaki with tahini yoghurt sauce.

Flask Andros

It resembles a flask. It is green and has thin purple-brown streaks. A traditional seed and not a hybrid, it is grown mainly in the island's vegetable gardens, but it seems to be gaining interest.

It is said that a sailor took them to Andros after his voyage.

It has white, sweet flesh with few seeds and is ideal for salads and grilled foods.

Maria Papakonstantinou is a columnist for Cantina. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.

READ MORE: Moussaka: The science behind perfecting Greece’s favourite dish.