Chef Dimitra
Central Macedonian Domatorizo (Ντοματόρυζο)
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Peloponnesian Patates Lemonates (Πατάτες Λεμονάτες Πελοποννήσου)
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Peloponnesian patates lemonates are thick potato wedges roasted in lemon, oregano, olive oil, and broth until their centers soften and their edges turn sticky and gold.
Side Dishes
Greek
Comfort Food
Budget Friendly
Sheet Pan
15 min
Active Time
1 hr 20 min cook•1 hr 35 min total
Yield6 servings
Peloponnesian patates lemonates are the lemon potatoes that sit under a roast and steal half its glory. Thick wedges go into the tapsi with lemon, oregano, garlic, olive oil, and broth, then roast until the pan juices reduce to a sharp, green-gold glaze.
The method is simple, but the order matters. The potatoes need liquid at the beginning, not just oil, so they soften from the inside while taking in the lemon. Only after the broth reduces do the edges catch and turn sticky. That is the difference between lemon potatoes and plain roasted potatoes with lemon squeezed over them at the end.
Use potatoes that hold their shape, good lemons, and oregano that still smells alive when you crush it between your fingers. Λίγα και καλά: a few things, and good ones. My notebook has many versions of this dish from Sunday tables, but the Peloponnesian plate is the one I return to when I want the roast's companion to taste like the main event.
Potatoes entered Greek cooking in the 19th century, after the founding of the modern Greek state, and became especially important in household oven dishes because they stretched a roast for a large table. In the Peloponnese, where lemons and olive oil are everyday kitchen staples, lemon-roasted potatoes became tied to Sunday meat cookery, sharing the pan juices of lamb or chicken. The vegetable-stock version also fits the Orthodox fasting table, where lemon, oregano, and oil carry the dish without meat.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
waxy potatoes
Quantity
1.5kg
peeled and cut into thick wedges
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil
Quantity
120ml
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
120ml
chicken stock or vegetable stock
Quantity
300ml
garlic cloves
Quantity
4
lightly crushed
dried Greek oregano
Quantity
2 tsp
fine sea salt
Quantity
1 tsp
freshly ground black pepper
Quantity
1/2 tsp
Dijon mustard (optional)
Quantity
1 tsp
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| waxy potatoespeeled and cut into thick wedges | 1.5kg |
| extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil | 120ml |
| fresh lemon juice | 120ml |
| chicken stock or vegetable stock | 300ml |
| garlic cloveslightly crushed | 4 |
| dried Greek oregano | 2 tsp |
| fine sea salt | 1 tsp |
| freshly ground black pepper | 1/2 tsp |
| Dijon mustard (optional) | 1 tsp |
Equipment Needed
- •large metal tapsi or roasting pan, about 35cm
- •wide metal spatula for turning the wedges
Instructions
- 1
Heat the Oven
Heat the oven to 200C. Choose a large metal tapsi or roasting pan where the potatoes can sit mostly in one layer. Crowded potatoes stew politely, but they don't roast.
- 2
Season the Potatoes
Put the potato wedges in the pan with the olive oil, lemon juice, stock, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and mustard if using. Turn everything with your hands until the wedges are shiny all over and the oregano clings to the oil.
- 3
Roast in Broth
Roast uncovered for 45 minutes, turning the potatoes once. This is the step that makes patates lemonates themselves: they must roast in lemony broth first, so the centers drink the flavor before the edges brown. Dry-roast them from the start and the lemon stays on the surface.
- 4
Finish the Edges
Turn the potatoes again and roast for another 25 to 35 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a glossy spoonful of oil and lemon at the bottom of the pan. The corners should be deep gold, sticky, and a little collapsed.
- 5
Rest and Serve
Let the potatoes stand for 10 minutes in the pan, then spoon the reduced lemon oil over them. Serve warm, beside roast lamb, chicken, fish, or a plate of horta. For a nistisimo table, use vegetable stock and don't apologize for it.
Chef Tips
- •Use waxy or all-purpose potatoes, not floury ones that fall apart before the edges brown. Cut them thick, like orange segments, so they have time to drink the lemony broth.
- •Fresh lemon juice is not decoration here. Bottled juice gives a flat sourness, and the dish depends on the clean bite of real lemon against olive oil.
- •If the pan dries before the potatoes are tender, add a splash of hot water at the edge of the pan. If there is too much liquid at the end, raise the oven to 220C for the last 10 minutes.
Advance Preparation
- •Cut the potatoes up to 2 hours ahead and keep them covered in cold water. Drain and dry them well before roasting.
- •The dish is best from the oven, but leftovers reheat well in a 190C oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the edges wake up again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 300g)
Calories
345 calories
Total Fat
20 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
17 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
520 mg
Total Carbohydrates
38 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
3 g
Protein
5 g
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