Porcini kritharaki – Greek orzo-style egg pasta, 500 g cooks in 15–20 minutes • porcini are worked into the dough for an earthy note • for creamy risotto-style preparation
Geusi Vounou porcini kritharaki are small Greek egg pasta with a mild wheat flavour and an earthy mushroom note. The small shape absorbs stock well and is particularly suited to creamy, risotto-style cooking.
- ● Porcini in the dough • the mushroom flavour is part of the pasta itself
- ● Durum-wheat semolina and eggs • the base of the pasta dough
- ● Creamy preparation • with stock, cheese, mushrooms or vegetables
Kritharoto with Mushrooms – Greek Rice-Shaped Pasta (Geusi Vounou, 500 g)
Geusi Vounou Kritharoto with Mushrooms is a small egg pasta made from durum wheat semolina. Its shape resembles long grains of rice, but it is not rice or a ready-made meal. Porcini mushroom in the pasta blend gives it its mushroom flavour.
In Greek cuisine, this type of pasta is known as kritharaki. The name kritharoto refers to a dish prepared in a similar way to risotto: the pasta is briefly toasted, then cooked gradually in hot stock until tender and the surrounding liquid develops a creamy consistency.
The flavour is mildly eggy and grainy, with an earthy mushroom note. Serve kritharoto on its own with Parmesan or another mature cheese, add sautéed mushrooms, chicken or vegetables, or use it as a side dish with stews and roasted dishes.
How to use
- Creamy kritharoto – briefly toast the pasta in oil, then add hot stock gradually, stirring often; it will usually soften in approximately 15–20 minutes.
- As regular pasta – cook in salted water, drain and combine with sauce, olive oil or butter.
- One-pot meal – add onion, vegetables, mushrooms, chicken or pulses and cook everything together in stock.
- Soups and salads – use a small amount as soup pasta, or add the cooked and cooled pasta to a salad.
When preparing creamy kritharoto, add the stock gradually and wait until each addition has been absorbed before adding more. Finish the dish with olive oil or butter, cheese and fresh parsley.
Suitable for
Recommended related products
- Organic Koroneiki extra virgin olive oil
For toasting the pasta and finishing the kritharoto. Use some of the oil at the start and add a small amount when serving. - Organic garlic paste
For a mushroom base with onion and stock. Add sparingly while sautéing so it does not overpower the porcini flavour. - Tomato sauce with olives
For a fuller Mediterranean variation. Stir the cooked pasta into the warmed sauce and finish with cheese or herbs.
Did you know?
- Kritharaki means a small grain of barley, although the name refers only to the shape of the pasta.
- Kritharoto is a Greek cooking method in which kritharaki is cooked by gradually adding stock, much like risotto.
- The creamy consistency comes from starch released by the pasta, not from overcooked rice or necessarily from added cream.
The product contains wheat and eggs. This pasta is not organic.
Kritharoto with Mushrooms – Main Benefits
- Traditional Greek shape – the small pasta pieces resemble long grains of rice.
- Not rice – the base is durum wheat semolina and eggs.
- Porcini in the blend – the mushroom flavour is part of the pasta itself.
- Prepared like risotto – adding stock gradually creates a creamy dish without the need for cream.
- Two cooking methods – prepare it by adding stock gradually or cook it as regular pasta.
- Main course or side dish – combines well with vegetables, mushrooms, meat, cheese and sauces.
- For soups and salads – the small shape also works as soup pasta or a cold side dish.
- 500 g pack – enough for several main courses or a larger number of side portions.
Kritharoto suits anyone looking to try a Greek alternative to risotto while preferring pasta. The mushroom version already has a fuller flavour in the base and does not require a complex sauce.
Why choose Geusi Vounou
Geusi Vounou is a family-run agricultural business from the Grevena region of northern Greece. Its fields are near the village of Vatolakkos at an altitude of approximately 600 metres, and the company produces, processes and packs food under its own brand.
The brand’s story draws on the legacy of Grandmother Magdalini, who passed on the family’s respect for nature, ingredients and traditional preparation methods. The current generation continues this approach, combining the family’s agricultural knowledge with modern processing and minimal intervention in the natural character of the ingredients.
Geusi Vounou aims to combine Greek flavours with precise standardisation and quality control, bringing regional Greek food to customers beyond the country. Its production facilities follow HACCP and ISO 22000 systems; organic labelling applies only to specifically certified products.
A family story
The brand draws on the family’s agricultural experience and the legacy of Grandmother Magdalini, based on respect for nature and its ingredients.
Origin in the Grevena region
The business is based in northern Greece, with fields near the village of Vatolakkos at an altitude of approximately 600 metres.
Traditional ingredients, modern processing
Geusi Vounou combines Greek agricultural and culinary traditions with modern packaging, standardisation and quality control.
Controlled production facilities
Production and processing take place in facilities operating under HACCP and ISO 22000 systems.
Ingredients
Durum WHEAT semolina, EGGS, water, salt, porcini mushroom.
Store in a dry, cool and dark place. Once opened, close the pack securely and protect it from moisture and other odours.
FAQ
What is kritharoto?
Kritharoto is a Greek dish made with small kritharaki pasta, cooked gradually in stock in a similar way to Italian risotto.
Is this pasta rice?
No. It only resembles rice in shape. It is made from durum wheat semolina, eggs and the other listed ingredients.
Is it a ready-made meal?
No. The pack contains dried pasta that must be cooked in water or stock.
Is kritharoto a traditional Greek dish?
Yes. It is based on traditional Greek kritharaki pasta and a cooking method in which stock is added gradually.
What does kritharoto with mushrooms taste like?
It has a mild grain and egg flavour with an earthy porcini mushroom note. The stock and other ingredients will also affect the final flavour.
How do you cook kritharoto?
Briefly toast the pasta in oil and gradually add hot stock. Stir regularly and cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, until it reaches the preferred texture.
Can it be cooked like regular pasta?
Yes. Cook it in salted water, drain and serve with sauce, butter, oil or cheese.
What goes well with kritharoto?
It combines well with mushrooms, onion, garlic, stock, cheese, parsley, vegetables, chicken and olive oil.
Which allergens does the product contain?
The product contains wheat and eggs. Check the information on the current packaging before preparation.
How should the pasta be stored?
Store it in a dry, cool and dark place. Once opened, close the pack securely and protect it from moisture.
Additional parameters
| Category: | Food |
|---|---|
| EAN: | 5214002734930 |
| Country of origin: | Greece |
| Manufactured by: | Geusi Vounou, Βατόλακκος, Grevená, Greece |
| Vhodné pro: | GMO Free |
| Size: | 500 g |
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Geusi Vounou – “taste of the mountains” from Grevena, Greece
Geusi Vounou (Greek: Γεύση Βουνού, literally “taste of the mountains”) is a family agricultural business from Vatolakkos near Grevena in northern Greece. The brand is run by Vasilis Karapas, an agronomist from a farming family who planted his first oregano on family land in 2014 while still studying. He later added Greek mountain tea, thyme, sage, saffron, lemon balm, other aromatic plants and pulses.
His grandmother Magdalini was an important influence, teaching the family how to work with local herbs and emphasising the value of traditional plant material. What began as a small student project developed into an agricultural brand combining Greek farming and culinary traditions with modern processing control, packing and export.
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Not an anonymous brand. A real farm in Western Macedonia.
- Fields near Vatolakkos at approximately 600 m above sea level – not 680 m, as our website previously stated incorrectly.
- A family farming tradition – Vasilis grew up working in the fields and built on the experience of previous generations.
- Farm-grown herbs are naturally shade-dried to avoid unnecessary loss of aroma during drying.
- Herbs and pulses form the core of the farm’s own production. We use organic claims only for products that are individually certified; the brand’s wider range is not automatically organic.
Greek agricultural press reported in 2023 that the family farm covered approximately 50 hectares, including around 20 hectares of pulses and about 14 hectares of aromatic plants. Cereals used in crop rotation also remained part of the farming system. For the pulses and aromatic crops, the source reported certified organic cultivation.
Why Greek herbs are more than “just another oregano”
With Geusi Vounou, the main difference is not decorative packaging but provenance and the way the raw material is handled. Vasilis describes manual work from planting and weeding through harvesting, drying and packing. With aromatic plants, the aim is to preserve the character of the whole plant with as little processing as possible before packing.
For customers outside Greece, it is also useful to understand what individual Greek ingredients actually are and how they are used. A literal translation of the name is not always enough. Greek mountain tea, dittany, trahanas, kritharaki, hilopitaki and petoura are not marketing terms; they are specific traditional herbs, foods or types of pasta with their own uses.
From herbs and pulses to the wider Greek pantry
Today’s Geusi Vounou range is broader than the farm’s original production. At PraveBio.cz we therefore distinguish between two parts of the assortment:
- The farm-grown core: oregano, thyme, sage, lemon balm, Greek mountain tea, saffron, other herbs and pulses.
- The wider Greek range: traditional pasta, honey, mushrooms and truffle products, flavoured olive oils and other regional foods.
For each product we therefore check origin, ingredients, organic certification, the traditional name and the correct way to use it. The aim is not to sell customers “something Greek” without context, but to explain what makes each ingredient different, how to prepare it and why it has a place in Greek cooking.
Vasilis Karapas: from the first oregano crop to an export brand
Vasilis Karapas was born in Grevena in 1994 and studied agricultural development and farm business management in Thessaloniki. He has worked professionally in agricultural production and packing since 2014. Oregano was the first crop, followed by other aromatic plants and pulses.
Greek media reported in 2024 that more than 70% of production was exported. Exports began in Germany in 2018 and later expanded to other European countries, including the Czech Republic. Geusi Vounou was not created as a souvenir brand for tourists; it grew out of a working agricultural business and now sells its products across several markets.
Geusi Vounou at PraveBio.cz
PraveBio distributes Geusi Vounou in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. As with Ceylon Kokonati, we explain the differences between individual products, their Greek names, how they are used in the kitchen and the genuine USPs of each ingredient. Organic claims are used only where they apply to the specific certified product.
