Syros Parsley-Caper Pesto

5 from 4 votes

This is one of the best-known dishes from Syros, a meze reminiscent of Italian pesto, minus the nuts and cheese and made with parsley instead of basil. There are numerous renditions, with stale bread and potatoes or egg yolk, all of which give the dip body. Some versions also contain garlic and/or capers. You can find the capers and other lovingly curated Greek ingredients to pair with this recipe on my online store here.

Course dip, sauce

Cuisine Greek cuisine, Mediterranean diet

Keyword capers, Diane Kochilas, parsley, pesto, Santorini capers, Syros

PREP TIME 15 minutes

SERVES 8

Ingredients

2 cups chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 large onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 tsp. capers drained and chopped
2 cups coarsely chopped dried breadcrumbs
½-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a food processor or in a mortar with a pestle, pulse or pound the parsley, onion, garlic, and capers to a paste.
2. Add the breadcrumbs and toss or pulse to combine. Slowly add the olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar in alternating streams, pulsing or pounding well after each addition. Continue mixing until the mixture is a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as a topping over grilled bread or as a dip.