Maggiri is a traditional Cretan pasta associated with the difficult years of poverty on the island of Crete. It was the ideal option for feeding an entire family economically.
It is the name of an old Cretan pasta cooked in a particular way. Half of the pasta was boiled, while the other half was fried. The two halves were then mixed together using the broth of the boiled half. It is essentially a thick pasta soup served, topped with lots of cheese, preferably anthotiro. It can be cooked in as a savoury or a sweet dish.
In its savoury version, the maggiri is divided into two portions. Half of it is boiled in salt water for about five minutes and the other half fried in olive oil until it becomes crispy. When the boiled portion is ready, the fried portion is added to the pot and mix together for two to three minutes. It is then served with plenty of anthotiro.
In its sweet version, the maggiri is again divided into two portions and the same procedure is followed, but this time, the first half is boiled in milk with sugar, while the other half is fried and the mixture served with sugar and cinnamon.
