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Danielle Lachana

'Paspalas' refers to the small pieces of pork meat used in this recipe which is a well-known traditional dish from the Greek island of Kea, or 'Tzia', as it is often called by the Greeks. This method of meat preparation dates back to the days before refrigerators when people needed to preserve the abundant local meat.

Paspalas can be served as a breakfast dish, spooned if you like on to toasted bread, as a main dish for lunch or dinner, a side dish together with green beans or a salad, or as a hearty snack at any time of the day - or night. The dish is as simple as it is tasty, but what is really important is that the meat has at least 50% fat, in which it is subsequently cooked when the fat is rendered.

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RECIPE

(Serves 4)

METHOD

Cut the pork into small pieces of around 1 cm and put in a non-stick or heavy frying pan. Pour in enough water to reach halfway up the meat. Heat gently until starting to boil then add the salt, pepper and sugar. Continue cooking over a medium heat for around half an hour, adding extra water as needed so that the pork does not dry out. When the meat has softened, increase the heat to high until all the water has evaporated then leave the meat to continue cooking in its own fat, stirring frequently until nicely brown, a little crispy on the outside but still tender (around 20 minutes more).

In a second frying pan, heat the olive oil then add the chopped canned or fresh tomatoes. Add a pinch of dried thyme, or a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme, if using. Simmer gently for around 15 minutes until the tomatoes have softened and amalgamated, remove the sprigs of thyme, if you added them, then stir in the cooked meat.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs then stir them into the tomato and pork mixture. As soon as the eggs start to set, remove the pan from the heat as they will continue cooking and you do not want them 'scrambled'. Serve hot!