Baked Prawns in Tomato Sauce with Feta (Garithes Yiouvetsi)
Cooking opens the world up to you. It’s magical really, its ability to transport you to faraway lands. More than any other medium—books, films, music—eating ignites the senses and connects you with a place. This is part of the reason I like to cook foods from around the world, to indulge my curiosity, to explore, and to imagine.
In Greece, a mountainous Mediterranean nation comprised of 2000 islands, fresh seafood abounds, grape vineyards and olive groves flourish, lemon trees prosper in gardens, and flocks of sheep and herds of goats graze and forage in the valleys. It’s no surprise that these ingredients—and the products derived from them—factor heavily into Greek cuisine.
Today, I wish to share with you the flavors of Greece and how to make baked prawns in tomato sauce with feta (garithes yiouvetsi). This dish is a great introduction to Greek cuisine as it features traditional Greek ingredients—olive oil, feta, wine, and seafood—all of which are readily available in your local grocery store.
The preparation is simple: you make a tomato sauce and then bake the prawns in the tomato sauce with feta in a hot oven. This is a one-pot meal that produces tender shrimp in a juicy, savory sauce with melted pockets of salty feta. Round out the meal with a classic Greek salad, fresh bread to sop up the juices, and a bottle of wine, and you have yourself the makings of a lovely Greek meal.
How to Make Baked Prawns in Tomato Sauce with Feta
Ingredients for Making Baked Prawns in Tomato Sauce with Feta: tomatoes, olive oil, scallions, onion, white wine, feta, shrimp, parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper
Begin by prepping the ingredients: peeling and deveining the shrimp (leaving the tails and last segment of shell intact), finely dicing the onion, chopping the tomatoes, slicing the scallions, and mincing the garlic.
Sautéed Onions in Olive Oil
Next, you will begin making the tomato sauce. The first step is to gently sauté the onions in olive oil in a Dutch oven until translucent.
Sautéing Onions, Scallions, and Garlic in Olive Oil
Next, add the scallions and garlic to the pot and sauté for another 2 minutes. You’re adding another layer of flavor with each additional ingredient.
Making the Tomato Sauce for the Baked Prawns
Then add the tomatoes, white wine, most of the parsley (reserving some for garnish), oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. The tomatoes add umami, while the white wine adds acidity to the dish; the parsley gives brightness, while the oregano contributes a savory, pepperiness. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover the dish. Cook gently for 30 minutes to develop the flavor and thicken the sauce.
Baked Prawns in Tomato Sauce with Feta Ready for Baking
Once the sauce is ready, stir in the shrimp. Make sure the shrimp are immersed in the sauce. Crumble the feta and sprinkle it on top. Bake, uncovered, in the oven at 500°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the feta melts. Garnish with parsley.
Baked Prawns, Greek Salad, and Fresh Bread with Butter
Enjoy the meal with fresh bread, a Greek salad, and a glass of wine. Kalí óreksi!
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Baked Prawns in Tomato Sauce with Feta (Garithes Yiouvetsi)
Print recipe | Serves | 4 as main course |
| Dietary | Gluten Free |
| Meal type | Main Dish |
| Region | Greek |
| From book | adapted from The Complete Middle East Cookbook |
Ingredients
- 2 lbs large raw prawns (shrimp)
- 1 medium-sized onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces feta cheese
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails and last segment of shell intact. Drain and dry with paper towels and refrigerate until needed. | |
| Step 2 | |
| In a Dutch oven, gently sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the scallions and garlic to the pot and sauté for another 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, white wine, most of the parsley (reserving some for garnish), oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover the dish. Cook gently for 30 minutes to develop the flavor and thicken the sauce. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Once the sauce is ready, stir in the shrimp. Make sure the shrimp are immersed in the sauce. Crumble the feta and sprinkle it on top. Bake, uncovered, in the oven at 500°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the feta melts. Garnish with parsley. | |
