ELLA MITTAS & A RUBY BULGUR SALAD

for those long mezze meals and late summer nights

*that* tzatziki

It’s not often that a cookbook comes along and makes me feel the need to spend a full day in bed reading it from cover to cover. A little while back, Ella Mittas messaged me and asked if she could send a copy of her debut cookbook, of course I enthusiastically said yes please (!), but I didn't expect to fall so quickly in love with what arrived. Ella weaves beautifully written narrative prose, charting her travels around Greece and Turkey as a chef, with delicious recipes and beautiful photography (which Ella shot herself on film - is there anything she can’t do?!). It has everything I am looking for in a cookbook, great food, captivating design, delicious photography and beautiful writing.

Ella has been travelling Europe this summer on her book tour and we managed to sit down for a coffee and a pastry (at Popham’s) a few weeks ago. It was such a joy to meet her and chat all things food writing, cooking and travelling. I was over the moon when she agreed to be interviewed for The Late Plate and share a recipe from the book as well. If you buy one new cook book this month, make sure it is ‘Ela! Ela!’ , you won’t regret it. After making the tzatziki recipe, I realised I have been making it wrong my entire life, and that roasted salted almonds are a completely crucial component. You’ll have to buy the book to get that recipe, but Ella has been kind enough to share this delicious Ruby Bulgur Salad recipe below.

I hope you enjoy learning about her work and life as much as I did.

Sending love, Rosie x