I have been attending Niue language classes at the Pasifika Education Centre in Auckland, and a few weeks back we also learned to cook Pitako, a type of 'bread' made with grated coconut and bananas (green and ripe) - only! Obviously vegan, sugar and gluten free, very Paleo :-).
Ingredients: fresh coconut to grate, green bananas, ripe bananas.
Volu e niu ke he apa
Grate the coconut
Fakapelapela e tau fua futi momoho, fole e tau fua futi ti holo kehe apa.
Mash the ripe banana, peel and grate the green banana into a large bowl.
Lafi fakalataha e futi holo mo e futi momoho mo e niu volo.
Mix the grated green banana, mashed ripe banana and grated coconut.
(for a sweeter pitako add more mashed banana, add more green banana for a less sweet Pitako, I also put a few drops of lemon juice, and next time I will add a pinch of salt - these are not in the recipe but my own additions).
Loegi e laufuti mo e fakatoka e foila mo e taga tao kai.
Hafi e Pitako.
Prepare oven bag and foil or banana leaf.
Wrap.
In class we used tin foil and baking paper, but at home I had banana leaves (need to be washed and scorched over a flame to soften and remove the central vein to soften. I used the banana leaves to wrap, and then also tin foil on the outside.
Tao ke taha moe hafa kehe ua e tala.
Bake for 2 and an half hours.
(I baked for one hour at 180C, then turned the oven off and left inside for the night, it turned out fine!)
Kai vela poke kai momoko, hahau.
Take out, eat hot or cold.
Taumofa!
Dig in!
Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©
