The word Bouyiourdi originally meant the written order from an official of the Ottoman Empire (under Turkish occupation) usually for tax collection. Today it means the official document, of an unpleasant financial content: The phrase is known as: did the “Bouyiourdi” come to you from the tax office?.
Today Bouyiourdi is a meze part of the traditional northern Greek cuisine. The name Bouyiourdi was given to it precisely because the result is quite spicy (hot). It is made with feta cheese, tomatoes, peppers, olive oil combined with chili flakes and oregano. Bake in the oven until the feta is melted in a traditional small clay or cast iron pot (saganaki).
Here is my version of the dish, using feta cheese, onion, cherry tomatoes and mini sweet bell peppers firstly fried in olive oil and preserved in olive oil, vinegar and garlic. If you are close to Virginia North visit Nostos Restaurant and order it. If not, here is the recipe to make it at home.
Recipe
Sweet Peppers: in a frying pan heat up half a cup of olive oil over medium heat. Fry the sweet peppers on both sides until soft and a little caramelized. Place the peppers in a glass container. Add a few slices of fresh garlic in the olive oil and turn of the heat. Do not burn the olive oil. Pour the garlic flavored oil on top of the peppers and add 1/3 cup red wine vinegar. You can keep refrigerated and consume them as a snack or in other dishes and sandwiches.
Bouyiourdi: Place a slice of feta cheese about 1,5 cm thick in a saganaki dish, top it up with olive oil, thin slices of onion, 4-5 cherry tomatoes cut in half, 2-3 sweet peppers in vinegar, sprinkle with chili flakes and bake in hot oven for about 10-12 minutes or until feta is melted. Garnish with oregano and fresh parsley. Serve with fresh crispy bread and enjoy.
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