The recipe to make homemade Taramasalata

Most folk these days haven’t tasted home-made taramasalata, and that’s a shame because real taramasalata tastes so much better than the mass-produced variety.

Taramasalata can be a bit tricky to blend together properly, but follow the instructions and you should end up with a tasty dip which you can serve with pitta bread and olives for a simple, no-cook lunch. You can make this dip the day before you need it – just cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge.

How to make traditional taramasalata with pita

Before you start, soak the cod's roe in cold water for at least a couple of hours, then rinse and drain it thoroughly before peeling off the skin. Alternatively, you could use tinned cod roes instead, and skip the soaking stage.

Now put the roe in a mixing bowl and mash it first to a pulp using a fork then, with an electric beater, whisk it at top speed, gradually pouring in the lemon juice.

Now start adding the oils a drop at a time (still whisking as you would when making mayonnaise) and keep adding oil until the mixture becomes solid and dry – forming lumps and working its way up the sides of the bowl.

At this stage, start to beat in a little boiling water, around 2 fl oz (55 ml) or just enough to turn the mixture into a soft mousse. (Don't add the water before the mixture has become solid or it will separate!)

Finally add the crushed garlic and parsley, and serve with croutons or warm pitta bread and Greek olives.