Gournopoula

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Gournopoula or gourounopoulo is a traditional dish originating from Messinia, and it's especially popular in Kalamata. The dish consists of a spit-roasted piglet. A piglet is placed on a spit and a mixture of salt and herbs is placed in the belly. The belly is sewn shut, and the piglet is spit-roasted over high heat for about ten hours. Once done, half of the piglet's weight will be gone, but no one minds as the meat will become sweet while the skin turns crispy. The dish dates back to the times of the Turkish occupation.