Oven-baked Spetzofai - Greek country sausages and peppers in a tomato sauce

Σπετζοφάι στον φούρνο

Spetzofai has long held a special place in my heart. Growing up, I wasn’t a big fan of meat but I was always a die-hard fan of χωριάτικα λουκάνικα (horiatika loukanika), those famously delicious, rustic, country-style Greek sausages. So naturally, that meant Spetzofai was a dish I truly looked forward to.

To this day, it’s still one of my absolute favorites. It’s so luscious and rich, juicy, savory and hearty and yet so delightfully straightforward to make. You can find the original version here, which involves frying off the peppers and sausages and then letting everything bubble away in a lovely, thick sauce on the stove-top for a little while. This version though is a tad different, mainly in the way the dish is cooked, but I’ve also changed a few other things up a bit. Most importantly, I’ve upped the sausage content which is perfect if you're feeding a few extra mouths or fancy having leftovers, which you should, by the way, because this dish is even better the next day.

While there’s no denying that shallow frying anything in olive oil adds a ton of flavor, there’s something to be said about the ease of using the oven and the fact that baking anything with a sauce and olive oil yields an even more succulent texture, with deliciously caramelized, slightly charred edges.

Oven-baked spetzofai is a revelation not only because it feels lighter without the frying, but also because it’s hassle-free, with less hands-on time required. You chop everything up, put it in a pan and let the oven do the rest.

While Spetzofai (or Spetsofai) is traditionally served as a mezes, the sauce in this rendition of the dish is juicier, so it can easily stand on its own as a main course. It’s fantastic on top of fried potatoes or pasta and alongside potato mash or rice. You can certainly just go the bread route, dunking chunks of crusty sourdough in the sauce (otherwise known as παπάρες/papares) that’s so incredibly satisfying!

It makes an ideal midweek supper served with your carbs of choice and it’s perfect for a gathering or a casual get-together—you can make it in advance and reheat before serving. Of course, it’s the best mezes to serve with a shot of ouzo or a nice cold beer, especially if you have a patio and like lounging under the May sun.

Enjoy!

Magda x

As promised, here is a voice memo with the name of the dish in Greek. Well, two voice memons actually, since the dish can be written/said in two different ways. I always use the first one, though.

💬 Transcription: Spetzofai - Σπετζοφάι

💬 Transcription: Spetsofai - Σπετσοφάι

Oven-baked Spetzofai - Greek country sausages and peppers in a tomato sauce

Horiatika loukanika (traditional Greek country sausages) are typically made with pork and come in both mild and spicy varieties, that are seasoned with a range of herbs and spices. The most classic version is flavored with orange and leek. I love those! You’ll also find variations that even include Greek cheeses—I don’t love those. Veal/beef loukanika are also available, yet these are less flavorful than the pork ones in my opinion.

For Spetzofai, I only use pork loukanika but feel free to swap for beef loukanika if you don’t like or don’t eat pork.

Here, I used mild, leek-flavored pork sausages. If you prefer the spicier version, check my original recipe here.