The word papara (παπάρα) in Greek means many things. It can be a soft, limpy bread, but the word itself can also have crass connotations, referring to a certain point of the male anatomy in a vulgar way. Or it can simply refer to a mistake (παπαριά). But best of all, it is used to describe the fine art of dipping bread in an oily mixture, either to finish off a nice Greek salad or just enjoy the goodness of pure virgin olive oil.
The art of papara is in line with a ‘waste not’ philosophy to ensure that the last drop of sustenance is cleaned up after a meal.
It’s a communal way of enjoying the last scraps on the table, but it is a very intimate way of eating and rules of etiquette apply:
* Double dipping is only permissible when dipping with close family members.
* When two people dip at the same time, the one on the right has the right of way – unless they are children in which case they should be allowed to dip first.
* Don’t leave crumbs behind. Should a large crumb fall into the dip, take a second piece of bread to remove it and never use fingers.
* Keep dip portions modest so that others have a chance to also enjoy the papara.
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And just in case there’s no Greek salad handy, here’s a quick mix to enjoy:
INGREDIENTS
2 cups virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of dried basil
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.
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METHOD
Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top of the oil mixture.