Adapted from Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts

Scroll down to find the basic recipe for the traditional soup or porridge. 

The two essential ingredients are transformed into a flavorful and nourishing ‘pasta’ for the winter months. Though I can’t prove it, I have a hunch that early agricultural communities, in different parts of the world, thought up methods to combine and preserve grain and dairy; this is why fermented ‘pasta’ comes in distinct regional variations throughout the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean.

I wouldn’t suggest that you make your own ksinohondro and/or  kishk if there were good-quality commercial alternatives. In Chania, Crete, women sell wonderful homemade ksinohondro at the weekly farmer’s markets of this beautiful city; but unless you know somebody on the island to buy it for you, this delicious, traditional staple is seldom available elsewhere in Greece. On Lesbos island a similar ‘pasta’ is called ‘trahana’ and is often shaped into cup-like forms.  

The word kishk, used for the staple throughout the Middle East (in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine), comes from the Persian kashk ; today kashk in Iran contains no grain and is a kind of fermented whey available in liquid and dried forms with which modern chefs in Europe and the US have started to experiment. But the old Persian word khoshk  meant ‘dry,’ so maybe the original Persian kashk was similar to the fermented and dried kishk (keshk or kishik) of the Eastern Mediterranean. In Lebanon, Syria and Palestine kishk is usually ground to powder after it dries.

Trahana is the equivalent Greek staple, called tarhana in Turkish.  Today it usually refers to pellets of fermented and dried dough made with wheat-flour and milk, occasionally including  aromatics, chilies, mashed vegetables or fruit. There is an ongoing dispute over the origins of trahana or tarhana, with some scholars claiming that it can be traced back to Persia (Iran) or to the Steppes of China; the Ottomans spread it to the west, they say. Other scholars, though, citing the Latin/Greek word tractós (a kind of dough), and the ancient tràgos (coarse grain) insist that trahana was a Greek ‘pasta’ that spread eastwards. As I have often stated, it is my belief that the words that name foodstuffs in our region are seldom a proof of the food’s origin, but nevertheless it is irresistible to speculate.

In Crete and some other Greek islands, the crumb-like pasta from coarsely cracked wheat mixed with milk and yogurt is called ksinohondros. Ksino  means “sour” and hondros is the ancient, as well as the regional term for coarse ground wheat and bulgur.

Whatever the name, origin or shape, this delicious staple is the basis for a common Eastern Mediterranean porridge, a hearty wholesome soup that nourished countless generations throughout the region. Today powdered Lebanese kishk is also used as a flavoring.  Its musky, pungent, cheesy flavor may be an acquired taste.  

Ksinohondro from Crete, and Lebanese Kishk

The process may seem long but the actual work – the mixing, stirring, or the brief cooking of the grain – takes little time. The most important step is the drying process, which traditionally took days as the crumbled mixture was spread on clean sheets to dry in the sun. Today the dehydrator or a low oven dry the ‘pasta’ in a few hours.

I wouldn’t suggest that you make your own ksinohondro and/or  kishk if there were good-quality commercial alternatives. In Chania, Crete, there are women selling wonderful homemade ksinohondro at the farmer’s markets of this beautiful city, but unless you know somebody on the island to buy it for you, this delicious, traditional pasta is seldom available elsewhere in Greece.

Following the old tradition, I use whole barley flour together with the bulgur. In the old days kishk, and trahana (or tarhana) was made with emmer – an ancestor of wheat – and barley, the resilient grain cultivated in the region. Barley was the staple of the Greek islands, grown on small terraced, arid, and windy pieces of land, where more ‘noble’ grains, like emmer or wheat couldn’t survive.

I give you the basic recipe for the ksinohondro of Crete, made by briefly boiling coarse bulgur and barley flour with milk and yogurt. To make the Lebanese kishk, a combination of fine bulgur, barley flour, and yogurt is left to ferment.  The only work needed is to stir the mixture daily until it reaches the desired sourness.

Scroll down to find the basic recipe for the traditional soup or porridge. 

Ksinohondro

Makes about 1 pound pasta

1 quart whole milk, preferably organic sheep or goat milk

3 cups plain sheep or goat milk yogurt (not thick)

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon or more Maraş or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

2 ½  cups medium or coarse bulgur (semolina is an acceptable substitute)

1 cup whole barley flour

3 tablespoons lemon juice

In a thick-bottomed pot, stir together the milk, yogurt, salt and pepper flakes, if using. Heat over medium heat until very warm. Whisking steadily add the bulgur and barley and continue to whisk. When the mixture starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer, still stirring constantly for about 10 minutes or more, until very thick.  Remove from the heat and continue stirring for a few more minutes to prevent sticking. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and ladle about 1/2-cup-size pieces of the mixture onto the sheets.  Flatten them with a spatula or press between your fingers, and leave about a ½-inch space between them. You may need more than 2 pans.

Let cool completely overnight.  With a spatula invert the pieces and, depending on how sour (fermented) you like your ksinohondro, let stand at room temperature one more day – it will start to smell very yeasty and sour. Rub the pieces to break into crumbs, if you like, and spread on the trays.

Place the trays in an oven heated to the lowest temperature (about 150˚F or 70 C).

Let the crumbs dry, changing the position of the trays and tossing the pieces every now and then with spatulas, for about 4 hours. Turn the heat off and crack-open the oven door – use a wooden spoon to keep the door ajar.  Leave the trays in to cool slowly, preferably overnight.

The next day, close the door and warm the oven to 150˚F or 70˚C. Continue drying the ‘pasta,’ changing the position of the trays and tossing the crumbs every now and then for another 3 hours or more, until bone-dry and very hard.  Alternatively, you can dry ksinohondro in a dehydrator at 100-115˚F, for about 3 days.

Let cool completely and store in air-tight jars. Properly dried, ksinohondro keeps for years, like dried pasta.

Kishk

Depending on your kitchen’s temperature, and on how sour and pungent you like it, kishk needs 8-10 days to ferment. Stirring once or twice a day is all the work needed.

Makes about 12 ounces

1 cup fine bulgur

1 cup whole-wheat barley bulgur

1 pound natural goat or sheep milk yogurt (not thick)

1 cup full-fat, preferably sheep or goat milk

3 tablespoons lemon juice

In a large, non-reactive glass or metal bowl, mix the bulgurs with the yogurt, milk and lemon, stirring well. Cover with a clean towel and let rest, at room temperature, for 24 hours.

The next and the following 7-9 days stir well every morning, and in the evening as well, if possible. It is important to stir to prevent surface molding. The 5^th or 6^th day, it may start to smell quite sour. Taste and decide when you want to dry the kishk. Traditionally it is fermented for 9-10 days, but it is a matter of taste.

To dry, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spread the mixture on the sheets, separating into large crumbs with a fork.

Place the trays in an oven heated to the lowest temperature (about 150˚F).

Let the crumbs dry, changing the position of the trays and tossing with spatulas every now and then, for about 3 hours. Turn the heat off and crack-open the oven door – use a wooden spoon to keep the door ajar.  Leave the trays in to cool slowly, preferably overnight.

The next day toss the crumbs, close the door and warm the oven to 150˚F. Continue drying the kishk, changing the position of the trays and tossing the crumbs every now and then, for another 2 hours or more, until bone-dry and very hard.  Alternatively, you can dry kishk in a dehydrator at 100-115˚F, for about 2 days. 

Let cool completely.  To follow the Lebanese tradition, grind the crumbs to a powder in batches, in a blender.  You can also store the crumbs in air-tight jars.  Properly dried, kishk keeps for years, like dried pasta.

Ksinohondro or Kishk Porridge (or soup)

Serves 4

6 cups broth, water, or 3 cups water and 2-3 cups fresh or canned chopped tomatoes

2/3 -1 cup ksinohondro or kishk (if shaped in larger pieces, as in the photo, soak in water for about 30 min to 1 hour before cooking)

Salt and Aleppo or Maraş pepper for sprinkling

Good fruity olive oil for drizzling (optional)

1 cup or more crumbled feta cheese, to taste  

2 cups olive-oil-fried croutons (optional)

In a thick-bottomed pan, bring 6 cups broth to a boil. Add ksinohondro or kishk, stir well and reduce the heat. Simmer, stirring every now and then for about 6-15 minutes or more, depending on the crumb size.  The porridge should be smooth and thick. If too crumbly, pulse a few seconds with a stick blender. Taste and lightly salt, since the feta you will add is quite salty. 

Drizzle with olive oil, if you like, and stir in the crumbled feta; then sprinkle with Aleppo or Maraş pepper and add fried bread croutons, if you like. 

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