Dining With The Durrells

Transport yourself to Corfu with Louisa Durrell’s recipes, recreated by food expert Elisa Roche

- Elisa Roche

When I heard that a close friend of the Durrells, botanist David Shimwell, was bringing out a book that included recipes from Louisa Durrell’s worn-out cooking notebook, I begged the publisher to let me recreate a few for modern times. Here are three simple dishes, which, I hope, will transport you to lazy breakfasts on the terrace, dusky picnics among the olive groves, and snacks shared with a menagerie of beasts. And all perfectly in time for the return of The Durrells on BBC First.

Louisa Durrell’s fried pastry turnovers were said to be a favorite of daughter Margo. ‘Horta’ means greens and ‘Pitakia’ is the name of the flour-dense pastry. In Gerald Durrell’s The Corfu Trilogy, there are several instances of Louisa wandering off into the olive groves to collect edible plants. We’ve replaced Louisa’s dandelion and chicory leaves with kale and Swiss chard.

Hortopitakia – salty cheese puffs

100g Swiss chard spinach

½ small bulb fennel

3 spring onions

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1tsp olive oil

100g spinach

50g kale, shredded

1tsp cumin powder

200g feta, crumbled

500g puff pastry

1 egg, plus a brush for the wash

50ml vegetable oil

Roughly chop Swiss chard, fennel, and spring onions, and lightly fry with garlic in olive oil until starting to soften. Add 2tbsp water to the hot pan, throw in spinach and kale, and wilt with the steam. Add the cumin. Season with pepper only for now, as feta can be salty enough. Transfer to a bowl, drain excess water and allow to cool before adding feta.