The taste of Corfu dishes is influenced by Mediterranean cuisine, but the food here is spicier and contains more calories. The cuisine of Corfu was greatly influenced by the Venetians.

The cooking style is characterized by marinating for several hours and slow cooking over low heat. Many dishes hark back to the days when cooks would put all the ingredients in one pot and leave them to simmer all day.

Herbs used: oregano, garlic, onion, parsley, basil, dill, peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon.

The process of cooking at home resembled a ritual, especially on Sundays. Pastitsada was the main dish that day, always with rooster meat.

Four of Corfu’s best-known dishes show Venetian influence. They are Sofrito (sliced ​​veal cooked with vinegar, garlic, and parsley); Bourdeto (peppery fish stew); Bianco (white fish with garlic); and Pastitsada (a pasta and meat dish).

Even their names indicate Italian origins.

Perhaps the most traditional dish is sofrito , which comes from the word “so fritto,” which means “stewed” or “lightly fried” in Italian. This traditional dish is made from thin slices of veal that are floured, pan-fried, and then cooked in a white sauce made from finely chopped garlic, parsley, pepper, white wine, vinegar, and salt. It is usually served with mashed potatoes.

Pastitsada is a stew made for celebrations or formal dinners. It is a mixture of pasta and veal, beef or poultry, cooked with chili peppers, garlic, onions, wine, olive oil, vinegar, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, fresh or canned tomatoes, ground black pepper, and grated cheese on top. The most traditional would be pastitsada with rooster meat. A special ground mixture of 10-12 spices called “spetzieriko” is often used. Traditionally, this mixture was made by pharmacists, but each family had its own secrets for making this spice.

Savour sauce is often used to accompany fish dishes . It is made from high-quality olive oil, vinegar, bay leaves, rosemary, and garlic.

Bianco is a traditional Corfiot fish recipe using garlic, potatoes, parsley, pepper, and lemon juice. The sauce is white in color, hence the name (also Italian). The fish is usually fattier. Have plenty of bread, as you can dip the bread in the sauce. It is very tasty.

Tsigareli . Very popular because it is simple, delicious and nutritious. It is cooked leafy greens with chopped onion, garlic, red chili pepper and salt to taste. The dish is spicy, very popular in the winter months. Leafy greens, or nutritious herbs, are collected in the fields, forests.

Bourdeto . This is fish in a red sauce. The sauce is made by frying onions with red pepper and chili pepper, and squeezing lemon. There is no tomato sauce here, the red color is given by the pepper. Fish such as sea bass and scorpion fish are used, and they should be cooked whole, without cutting anything.

Sycomaida. This is a candy or cake made from dried figs, ouzo, mastic, and sweet wine, wrapped in walnut leaves.

Tzitzifa. This is the fruit of a tree, the size of an olive, eaten dried.

Corfu Bolsheviks . A sweet treat in the form of a large bun with syrup. It is definitely not available everywhere, the best is at the “Voulisma” bakery in the old town of Corfu.

When it comes to traditional Corfu sweets, kumquat (Japanese kinkan) is the most traditional. Called “spoon candy” in Greek, it looks like marmalade, but the difference is that the fruit used to make it is not whipped, but cut into small pieces or used in its original size and has a kind of syrup. They are called spoon candy because they are served in a spoon.

Nouboulo is a local delicacy (otherwise known as Corfu prosciutto) made from pork marinated in red wine, smoked, and wrapped in aromatic herbs.

Tsitsimbira (or imperial beer) arrived in the late 19th century with the English. It was made using partial fermentation, rather than flavour enhancers and sweeteners, and was served to English lords by local grocers on hot summer afternoons. The recipe became synonymous with Corfu and is still made today.

Corfu beer. There is a brewery in the Arilas area. Try several types of beer. It can be found in shops or taverns. Beer lovers say that it is very good.

Features

The Corfiots were the first Greeks to try potatoes, legumes, cocoa and spices. During the Renaissance, Venice was the main spice trader in Europe, which had a significant influence on the cuisine of Corfu and the culinary habits of the locals.

Around the 16th century, turkey arrived in Corfu, most likely with the French, as the Greek word “galopoula” literally translates as “French bird”.

Puddings did not arrive in Corfu with the Venetians, but with the English in the 19th century.

All of these dishes were enjoyed only by the upper classes of Corfu. The diet of the poor in Corfu was very different, consisting of cod, wild greens cooked with onions and olive oil, and cornbread.

Corfu cuisine is neither spicy nor mild, but rich in Mediterranean flavors. The main features are olive oil, vegetables, pasta and spices. Fresh greens, which the hostesses gather from their gardens or mountains, are often added to everyday dishes. 

Fish is traditionally fried whole, head and tail included. They are often seasoned with herbs and marinated in olive oil and lemon juice. Shrimp, octopus and squid are also popular.

Pasta is a favorite food in Corfu, especially orzo (pasta-rice).

Thin sheets of dough called filo are used for snacks, such as cheese or spinach pies.