Bobota the Greek Country Cornbread
Bobota is not the character in some science fiction movie. It is the cornbread of rural Greece. Make this bread during Lent and follow an age old tradition.
Using pantry staples for ingredients and a simple baking method, this cornbread is wonderfully crumbly and slightly sweet.
I liked it enough to save this recipe for use after Lent.
What is Lent?
Simply stated, Lent is the 40 day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Technically, that’s more than 40 days, but Christians don’t count the Sundays and Easter itself. This time represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness and Christians spend the time repenting of sins, avoiding temptations and fasting.
Some religious organizations are more strict than others in the observance of Lent. I grew up in the Methodist church and we were fairly easy going about the time. We did give up some extravagance or habit (think coffee, chocolate or smoking) and reflected on the trials of avoiding that temptation.
[bctt tweet=”Bobota traditional Greek Cornbread for Orthodox Lenten meals”]
The Catholic church decrees a more strict diet – avoiding meat on Fridays, and encourages more frequent attendance at Mass and confession.
The Greek Orthodox church subscribes to an even stricter diet. The guidelines are clearly defined on this site. My cousin shared some of her experience with me recently:
Traditionally Greeks abstain from a fair number of their usual menu items/
No meat from animals or fish with backbones.
No alcohol (expect on weekends)
No dairy
No olive oil
As our conversation progressed we debated the challenges of planning a menu during Lent that followed the guidelines. Chocolate is out. Except dark chocolate, with no dairy in it. Oreos are in. (Is that scary? No dairy?) Olive oil is apparently allowed nowadays, unless you’re very Orthodox.
Indian,Ethiopian, Vegan dishes meet much of the criteria. And would create a sense of adventure during the season.
Not only did I gain an education, I became even more curious to try some recipes that met the criteria and yet were made from ingredients that I can purchase in my small, rural, mostly Protestant and Catholic town. The groceries carry plenty of fish…but the kind with backbones. The challenges were quickly evident!
I’ve decided that I’m not going to follow the Greek Orthodox Lenten traditions. But I am going to try a few recipes because they are quite appealing!
Bobota Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 c Corn Meal
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 c Sugar
- 1/4 c Orange Juice
- 1/4 c Olive Oil
- 3/4 c Water
Recipe Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix all ingredients together.
- Using an 8×8 inch baking dish, bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
Approximate Nutritional Information:
Servings Per Recipe: 8 servings. Amount Per Serving: Calories: 188, Total Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 200mg, Total Carbs: 29g, Protein: 4g
Make It A Meal:
Since honey is allowed under the plan, I drizzled a fair amount over the Bobota and was a happy girl. This cornbread will make a nice side to lentil stew, vegetable soup or split pea soup.
Interested in one of the books pictured above? You can purchase on Amazon here.
Follow ApronFreeCooking:
Twitter @ApronFreeCook
This post may contain affiliate links . There are no additional costs passed on to you if you click on the links in this post. Any money earned from commission helps me cover the cost of maintaining this website.