Skordalia

Skordalia (center) with hummus, vegetables and pita

Skordalia or skordhalia/skorthalia (σκορδαλιά [skorðaˈʎa], in Greek also called αλιάδα 'aliada/aliatha), is a thick puree (or sauce, dip, spread, etc.) in Greek cuisine made by combining crushed garlic with a bulky base—which may be a purée of potatoes,^[1] walnuts, almonds, or liquid-soaked stale bread—and then beating in olive oil to make a smooth emulsion. Vinegar is often added.

Overview

Variants may include eggs as an emulsifier while omitting or reducing the bulk ingredient, which makes for a result similar to the Provençal aïoli, Catalan allioli, and so on. In the Ionian Islands, cod stock and lemon instead of vinegar, is usually added, and skordalia is eaten as a main dish.

Skordalia is usually served with batter-fried fish (notably salt cod, μπακαλιάρος), fried vegetables (notably eggplant and zucchini), poached fish, or boiled vegetables (notably beets). It is sometimes used as a dip.

Skordalia is the modern equivalent of ancient skorothalmi.^[2] The name, on the other hand, may be pleonastic compound of Greek σκόρδο [ˈskorðo] 'garlic' and Italian agliata [aʎˈʎaːta] 'garlicky'.^[3]

See also

• Agliata – an Italian garlic sauce
• Aioli – a Provençal garlic sauce
• List of bread dishes
• List of dips
• List of sauces

References

1. Guardian newspaper: skordalia recipe with potato for body and lemon for sharpness
2. Oxford Companion to Food, s.v. "Greece" and "Skorthalia".
3. Babiniotis, Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας