GREEK RECIPES

APPETIZERS

GARLIC DIP (SKORDALIA)

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

4 whole walnuts

3 slices bread (soaked in water)

olive oil

salt, lemon juice

Beat all ingredients in a blender together with the olive oil and lemon juice until it becomes a thick mixture. Season to taste.

In Greek homes skordalia is best served with fried zucchini or fried cod.

In restaurants it is served as an appetizer or side dish and goes very well with ouzo.

POTATO SALAD

½ kg potatoes (cubed)

½ cup olive oil

2 lemons (juice)

parsley (finely chopped)

salt, pepper

Boil potatoes until soft and chop into cubes. Prepare the dressing with the olive oil and lemon. Put the potato cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with the dressing. Top with parsley. Let the salad sit for a few minutes.

GREEK SALAD

2 tomatoes (in large cubes)

1 cucumber (in cubes)

1 onion (sliced in rings)

2 green peppers (sliced in rings)

100 g feta (in cubes)

5 olives

oregano or parsley

Salad dressing

3 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon (juice)

salt

Mix tomatoes, peppers, olives and cucumber in a salad bowl. Pour on the dressing and mix so that it covers all vegetables. Place onion rings and the feta on top. Sprinkle with oregano or parsley.

This is the traditional summer salad which can accompany any main course at lunch or dinner. It is perfect with chicken or beef, fish or seafood, meatballs or vegetables. To make this dish we use two extraordinary products of the Greek land which are olive oil and feta cheese.

TARAMA SALAD (a dip)

100 g tarama (fish roe)

1 cup olive oil

2-3 slices of bread (soaked in water)

salt (optional)

Beat all ingredients in a blender with the olive oil until it becomes a thick mixture. Season to taste. Tarama salad, a Greek delicacy, is best served as an appetizer and goes very well with ouzo.

MAIN COURSES

MEAT BALLS

2 small onions (chopped well)

½ kg ground beef

2-3 slices of bread (soaked in water)

2 tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

chopped parsley

1 egg (beaten)

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until they are thoroughly mixed. Shape the mixture into balls (makes about 15). Fry the meatballs in olive oil.

Meatballs are best served hot with fries, rice or spaghetti.

PSEFTOKEFTEDES

A recipe from the island of Santorini

1¼ cup tomatoes (peeled and chopped)

2 onions (chopped)

1 garlic clove (chopped)

1 cup flour

1 tsp parsley (chopped)

oregano, cinnamon, mint

salt, pepper

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs and spices in a large bowl. Add flour, salt and pepper. Mix well. Shape into balls. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry meatballs until golden brown.

VEAL / BEEF CASSEROLE with PASTA

1½ kg veal or beef (in pieces)

1 small onion (chopped)

2 cups tomato juice

½ cup red wine

salt, pepper

2 bay leaves

1 cup pasta (kritharaki)

Sauté the onion and meat in olive oil. Add the wine. Simmer for two minutes. Add the tomato sauce, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Cook at medium heat until the meat becomes tender. Put the meat in a casserole dish. Add 1 cup pasta and 3 cups of water. Stir well. Cover and bake in oven until pasta is cooked (200˚ C). Serve the casserole with coleslaw or cabbage salad.

CHICKEN with POTATOES

1 medium chicken

1½ kg potatoes

1 cup olive oil

2 lemons (juice)

salt, pepper

Chop potatoes in small cubes. Sprinkle with salt, olive oil and lemon. Place them in a baking dish. Wash the chicken thoroughly. Sprinkle with salt, olive oil and lemon. Place it on top of the potatoes. Add 1½ cups of water.

Bake at moderate heat in oven (200˚ C) for one hour. Turn the chicken over and bake for another 60 minutes. Serve this dish with cabbage salad.

LENTIL SOUP

1 cup lentils

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 garlic clove (chopped)

1 carrot

1 cup olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp vinegar

salt

3 cups water

Put all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to boil. Cook for about an hour or until lentils are soft. Season to taste. Serve lentil soup with cabbage salad.

CUTTLEFISH with RICE

1 kg cuttlefish

1 cup olive oil

1½ cups tomato juice

2 cups rice

2 onions (chopped)

salt, pepper

Clean cuttlefish carefully and thoroughly and cut into pieces. Sauté onion and cuttlefish in olive oil. Add tomato juice, salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until cuttlefish is soft. In another saucepan cook the rice until soft. Serve pieces of cuttlefish with its sauce on top of rice.

This dish goes well with sweet red wine.

SWEETS

KATAΪFI

500 g kataϊfi pastry sheets

250 g walnuts (chopped)             For the syrup

2 tbsp bread crumbs                      4 cups sugar

1 tsp cinnamon                               3 cups water

250 g butter (melted)                    1 tsp lemon juice

3 tbsp water

Preheat the oven at 175˚ C. Mix walnuts, bread crumbs and cinnamon together and set aside. Divide the kataϊfi into three parts. Spread 1/3 of the kataϊfi in the bottom of a baking tin. Sprinkle half of the butter on top and then half of the walnut mixture. Place the second layer of kataϊfi pastry on the top, followed by butter and the walnut mixture. Cover with the remaining layer of kataϊfi pastry. Sprinkle the water on top. Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool.

For the syrup, boil all three ingredients together for five minutes. Pour the hot syrup on top of the kataϊfi. Let it sit for 10 minutes until the syrup is absorbed.

STRAWBERRY JAM

1 kg strawberries

4 cups sugar

1 lemon (juice)

Wash strawberries and allow them to drain. Place them in a saucepan in layers, sprinkling sugar between each layer. Top with the lemon juice. Let them stand overnight. Bring them to a boil until the mixture becomes thick.

LOUKOUMADES

For the batter                     For the syrup

2 eggs                                         1½ cup sugar

¾ cup yogurt                                 ½ cup honey

2 cups flour                                  ½ cup water

1 tsp baking soda                           ½ tsp cinnamon

Boil all ingredients together for five minutes to make the syrup.

Beat eggs well and add the yogurt. Continue by adding the flour and baking soda. Beat well until the mixture becomes smooth. In deep fryer heat oil until very hot. Drop small quantities of the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Place them on paper towel to drain. Dip each one in syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve hot.

PASTA FLORA

2½ cups flour       

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp brandy

1½ tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp vanilla

1½ cup marmalade or jam

Preheat oven at 175˚ C. Sift the flour together with the baking soda. Mix butter with sugar and add the beaten eggs, lemon juice and brandy. Continue adding the flour mixing gradually. Place 2/3 of the batter into a baking dish. Cover the top with marmalade or jam. Use the remaining 1/3 of the batter to make strips and place them on top of the marmalade in a crisscross fashion. Bake for about 45 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour (sifted)

¾ cocoa (sifted)

1 cup evaporated milk

5 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven at 190˚ C. Beat margarine until it becomes creamy. Add sugar and eggs, continue beating. Add milk. Add flour, cocoa and baking powder gradually. Continue beating slowly until it is mixed well. Put mixture in a baking tin and bake for 60 minutes.