Fasolada

Fasolada is a simple and traditional Greek and Cypriot soup made from dried white beans that are drizzled with olive oil and eaten with various vegetables and herbs such as onions, celery, and tomatoes. The dish is nutritious and reminiscent of antiquity, as barley, olives, and beans were the three crops that sustained the armies of Alexander the Great.

Fasolada is eaten throughout the year, but it is traditionally consumed during Lent, when Orthodox Christians go through a religious fast. The name fasolada comes from the word fasoli, meaning beans, hence the name of this healthy and flavorful alternative to meat dishes.

According to a myth, it was created when Theseus went to kill the Minotaur, and on his way he stopped to make a sacrifice to the Greek God Apollo, promising that if he kills the Minotaur, he would give Apollo some olive branches that were decorated with fruits.

Upon his return, there was no food left on the ship, so Theseus and his comrades gathered anything they could find and cooked it in a savory stew, creating the fasolada. An inexpensive and tasty dish, fasolada is often accompanied by crusty bread, feta cheese and olives on the side.