I'm not sure what the difference is between durum and bulgur, but I think bulgur is quick to cook and durum is very dense and high in gluten.  Here's some more info on paximadi. 

http://www.openjourney.com/blogs/josh/p … ad-86.html

Paximadi is dried bread, which was very useful during the war because it preserved it.  Some paximadi made from white flour is crunchy but edible without reconstituting in water.  It's like croutons.  But the durum wheat is very hard and has to be reconstituted in water or soaked in soup.  A very typical salad is made with paximadi on the bottom, by the time you eat the salad the paximadi has absorbed all the dressing and has become a delicious treat.

Last edited by koukouvagia (Mon 04 Feb 13 2:11pm)

Grandmadamada wrote:

I think paximadi has barley flour giving it more taste

You can make paximadi out of any kind of bread made from any kind of grain.  It's a great way to preserve it.  Take any bread you have and lay the slices on a cookie sheet.  Put it in a 200F oven for an hour to dry it out completely.  You don't want to toast the bread, you just want to dry it.  Once it is completely cooled you can store it in a bag or cannister for months.

I have been to the Greek Islands many years ago but we didn't eat there as we were on a school cruise trip .
I bought myself halva which had pistachio nuts in it as well as a second type of Halva which I can't remember now.
I had never seem or tasted either Halva or pistachio nuts before ( although I had eaten Pistachio icecream in France so I knew of their existence )
I remember being as fascinated by texture of the Halva as I was of the taste .

It's now readily avalible in the Uk , but then my freinds thought me strange as I'd dared to try it , and even stranger as I'd bought some !

I've got a lovely cook book by Tessa Kiros ,' Food from many Greek Kitchens '

(cannyfradock , you are only 'down the road ' if you want to borrow it for a week or two .. But you'd have to bring it back !)

Mummza, halva is a perfect example of how greek food derives from the middle east.  We were occupied for 400yrs so a few things stuck.  Certain foods that are thought of as greek are actually turkish - such as moussaka, stuffed grape leaves, baklava, and halva. 

Did you have the tahini halva or the semolina?  I prefer the tahini, it's dry and crumbly and has a sandy texture on the palette.  My favorite it the chocolate marble.  The semolina halva I can do without.