This Sweet Potato Saganaki with Sausage is a favorite from my book Athens: Food, Stories, Love (St. Martin’s Press), where I explore the evolution of Greek cuisine in today’s Athens. Chefs are reimagining saganaki—traditionally a cheese meze—as a vegetable-driven skillet dish, like this one with sweet potatoes, sausage, leeks, garlic, and Greek oregano. Savory, hearty, and quick, it’s pure modern Mediterranean with classic Athenian flair. For more authentic Greek recipes and food stories, order the cookbook HERE.
Heat a 12-inch saganaki, paella pan, or skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook, stirring, until browned lightly, then transfer to a plate. Keep the sausage fat in the pan.
Add the olive oil and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the leek and sweet potato and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the garlic. Return the sausage to the pan, mix it gently, and pour in the wine. Season with the salt and add the lemon zest and chile, cover partially, and cook until the sweet potato is tender, about 7 more minutes.