Spentzofai is a traditional Greek dish originating from the region of Pelion in Thessaly, Northern Greece. It’s a delicious stew made with sauted green and red peppers, onions, and garlic, combined with sliced spicy sausage and tomatoes.
Spentzofai is often served as a main course, accompanied by crusty bread and feta cheese, or as a side dish alongside grilled meats. For extra flavor, you can also top it with a bit olive oil and fresh oregano leaves.
Spentzofai (Greek Sausage & Peppers Stew)
A traditional Greek stew from Pelios with country sausages, red and green peppers, garlic, tomatoes and spices.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Greek
Ingredients
MetricUS Customary
1x2x3x
- 800 g country sausages (4 sausages) cut into thin vertical slices
- 2 green bell peppers coarsely chopped
- 2 red peppers coarsely chopped
- 1 large onion (or two small) thinly sliced vertically
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 60 gr oxymel (mixture of vinegar and honey)
- 400 gr crushed tomatoes
- 50 ml water lukewarm
- fresh oregano leaves
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
For serving (optional):
- Feta cheese grated or broken into pieces
- fresh oregano leaves
- olive oil
Instructions
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Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan.
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Add the peppers, onion, salt, and pepper. Drizzle a little more olive oil if needed. Saut for 5-6 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften and caramelize slightly. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
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Add the garlic and sausage, mix well and saut for another 2 minutes.
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Pour in the oxymel and use a wooden spoon to scrape the flavorful bits stuck to the pan, ensuring all the rich tastes are incorporated into the dish.
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Add the water and the crushed tomatoes, and lower the heat to medium.
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Add a few leaves of fresh oregano, mix, and cook for 7-8 minutes until the sausages are cooked (cooking time depends on the type of sausage).
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Serve sprinkled with feta cheese, a few leaves of fresh oregano, and a little olive oil.
Notes
Chefs tip: Be mindful not to overcook the vegetables to avoid excessive caramelization.
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Giorgos Tsoulis
Celebrity Chef Giorgos Tsoulis specializes in modern Mediterranean cuisine and his recipes are widely appreciated not just in Greece and Cyprus but also around the world.
He has been the executive chef of numerous successful Greek restaurants, while at the same time hosting many popular culinary TV shows in Greece and Cyprus. Giorgos Tsoulis is passionate about educating his fans in more sustainable and healthy cooking and eating while making the most of the flavors of the ingredients.
As sustainable cuisine ambassador for WWF Hellas, he plays a key role in cooking activations that relate to the European #Eat4Change program, as well as the #Farm2Fork program.