My Summer Vasilopita is my tzatziki! I relish it chilled, served alone, spread on toasted bread (enhanced with oregano and oil), tucked into a pita with skewers or kebabs, paired with grilled vegetables or meats, or as a side salad accompanying summer pies.

The secret to its allure lies in the delightful cucumber crudo, high-quality olive oil, choice vinegar, a generous sprinkling of black pepper, and a hint of dill. But let’s break it down:

The cucumber. Whether you choose 2-3 small ones or one large one doesn’t matter. The key is to grate it on the coarse side of the grater (with the largest holes) in repeated top-to-bottom strokes (not in a continuous motion, like grating cheese, for instance). This method results in crisper cucumber “fillets” that you can distinguish and savor in each bite, rather than a pulp. Place the grated cucumber in a sieve, lightly salt it, and let it sit for half an hour to drain the water. Don’t be deceived by the amount of water collected in the bowl beneath, as there is more water within the cucumber. Squeeze it thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel or between your hands and you’ll be surprised at how much more water it will release. We don’t want this water in the tzatziki, we want our tzatziki to hold its shape on the fork in every bite, free of excess liquid.

A lot of black pepper. Recently, I’ve discovered how well black pepper pairs with dill! I generously add it to both tzatziki and spinach pie because I find it complements them beautifully. It adds flavor to the two most bland vegetables, spinach and cucumber, which both need a flavor boost, as they don’t have a strong taste on their own (with exceptions, of course, I mean, don’t remind me of the crunchy cucumbers from my grandfather’s garden in Ikaria or I’ll get emotional).

Also, red grape vinegar and your finest olive oil. The tzatziki deserves it! Choose a tart cherry vinegar, an extra virgin olive oil, and don’t be stingy, use a good amount of both. We’ll incorporate the olive oil by first blending it into the yogurt and garlic mixture and drizzling a little more on top at the end.

Yogurt (can it be light? Yes, indeed!) Not 0% fat but up to 2% is acceptable, as long as it’s strained. After all, any dairy fats you avoid will be compensated for by the olive oil in the tzatziki, which gives it the perfect texture. The tzatziki must hold its shape on the fork. Purchase a half-pound jar of yogurt and use half of it, so that the cucumber, not the yogurt, is the dominant flavor in the tzatziki.

We’ve covered the basics (though I intentionally left out garlic as very few varieties are suitable for a summer basil dish anymore. Opt for Greek garlic, particularly from Thrace, and avoid the bitter Chinese types). Now, let’s move on to the recipe:

tzatziki1
Peel the cucumber a la zebra, leaving a little skin for appearance and flavour.

Ingredients

3-4 small cucumbers or one large one, peeled in a zebra pattern, and 1-2 small ones for garnish, also peeled in a zebra pattern

4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed

¼ cup of olive oil

4-5 tablespoons of red grape vinegar

Salt for initial cucumber seasoning and a bit more for later

2-3 teaspoons of ground black pepper

A small amount of dill (2-3 sprigs), finely chopped

250 grams of strained yoghurt (preferably 5% fat or full fat)

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Cut the cucumber diagonally into thick slices and season with salt. Drizzle them with a little vinegar and olive oil and place them in the tzatziki, sideways, until they are covered in the middle. Grind a little more pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.

Instructions

Prepare the cucumber as described above. Place it in a sieve and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Let it sit for no more than half an hour to drain the excess liquid, then squeeze it in your palms or in a clean kitchen towel to dry completely.

In a bowl, combine the garlic, vinegar, pepper, dill, and half of the olive oil. Stir, then add the grated and well-drained cucumber. Mix again using a fork.

With a whisk, beat the yogurt (especially if it’s low-fat) with a bit of olive oil to make it creamier.

Add the yogurt to the cucumber mixture and gently stir with a fork from the bottom up.

Place the tzatziki in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly.

Before serving: Cut the cucumber diagonally into thick slices and season with salt. Drizzle them with a bit of vinegar and olive oil and place them in the tzatziki at an angle until they are half submerged. Sprinkle with a bit more pepper, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and serve.

Taste

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