
Photo: Lila la Loop
Greek semolina cake – a culinary bridge
Greek semolina cake, also known as "Revani" or "Ravani," is a traditional dessert originating in Ottoman cuisine and proudly served in many regions of Greece today. Moist, aromatic, and with a hint of citrus freshness, this cake combines Mediterranean lightness with a rustic sweetness. Its main ingredient—semolina—is not only satisfying but also rich in complex carbohydrates and contains valuable minerals such as magnesium and iron. Combined with yogurt or olive oil, it creates a light and easily digestible cake that fits well into a balanced diet.
Mining at Baldeneysee
A special connection can be made to the mining region around the Baldeneysee Produced in Essen: Here, where once hard work underground shaped daily life, nutritious and easy-to-prepare foods were of great importance. Semolina cake, with its few but substantial ingredients, would have fit perfectly into the kitchens of miners' families – as a sweet source of comfort after a long day's work.
Today it stands as a symbol for the connection between Mediterranean joie de vivre and the industrial history of the Ruhr region – a culinary bridge, so to speak.
| Preparation time | portions | difficulty | Kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 minutes | 14 | simply | Greek |
Ingredients
1 organic lime
6 eggs
150 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla powder
200 g soft butter
150 g flour
3 tsp baking powder
120 g durum wheat semolina
100 ml mineral water
1 pinch of salt
Besides that Butter and breadcrumbs for the pan

preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter a baking dish and sprinkle it thinly with breadcrumbs. Wash the lime with hot water and dry it. Finely grate the green zest. Halve the lime and squeeze out the juice. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar, vanilla powder, and lime zest until foamy. Stir in the butter. Sift the flour with the baking powder and mix it with the semolina. Gradually stir the mixture into the egg-butter mixture, alternating with the lime juice and water.
2. Beat the egg whites with salt until very stiff. Carefully fold them into the batter, being careful not to deflate it. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the surface. Bake on the middle rack for about 50 minutes.
3. Allow to cool completely in the tin after baking, and then cut into pieces.
| Recipe by: |
|---|
| Bianca Killmann |