Little Cooking Tips - Oven

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Is it really October?

It’s early October as we’re writing this post, and looking back, with the exception of short periods of rain, the last month has been practically another summer month. It takes a while for Autumn to get here. Lots of sunshine, high temps and people rushing to the beaches, especially on the weekends, to get some comfort.

In the last few days though, the temperature dived about 10 degrees, and now we all feel that it’s really October. Lower temps mean we can concentrate easier on things we enjoy at home. One of them is cooking. Another is blogging. Like we’re happily doing now.

Visit to Epidaurus

One of the things we especially enjoyed this summer, was a daily visit to Ancient Epidaurus. It’s one of the places we always wanted to visit, that’s also close to Athens, but for some strange reason, we never had so far.

So, at the beginning of our summer vacation, one morning we woke up early, had a small breakfast and drove to Epidaurus. After using the highway, there’s a hilltop road (paved of course) for about an hour, but the scenery with the olive trees and then the pine trees make the trip enjoyable. The day that we visited was windy, which was great, as it helped us to cope with the high temps.

Arriving at Ancient Epidaurus, we bought a ticket which is valid for visiting everything at the site. We visited the Ancient Theatre, which is still operational today, with performances every summer and thousands of spectators.

The theatre can accommodate up to 15.000 spectators and was constructed in the 4th century BC. The amazing thing about this site is the unique acoustics. The theatre is constructed in such a way that one can hear perfectly what the actors say on the stage, regardless of one’s sitting and without using amplifiers.

We loved the great Stadium they also built nearby, where many competitions took place in antiquity, mostly to honor the god Asclepius. It was really impressive and preserved in great state.

Near the theatre, there’s a wide flat place with many ruins. In these ruins one can see what’s left of the walls of the -once glorious- Asclepeion. The Asclepeion was a sanctuary devoted to the healer-god Asclepius, son of Apollo. It was a sacred and highly spiritual place, where ill people came to get advice for their ailments. Healing mineral springs nearby were believed to help one cure and the priests guided and helped the sick with various practices.

At its height, there were so many people visiting, that they also built a huge restaurant/banquet hall, called hestiatoreion (to this day the word means restaurant in Greek) with a majestic entrance, right next to the Asclepeion, to feed all the visitors. If you’re following us on Instagram you might’ve seen our relative Story :)

We loved the great Stadium they also built nearby, where many competitions took place in antiquity, mostly to honor the god Asclepius. It was really impressive and preserved in great state.

Finally, we visited the marbles and the statues in the Museum. It was a great collection, and we loved reading ancient Greek and understanding some of the sentences. So wonderful to be able to communicate through time with the people who lived there thousands of years ago, isn’t it? The building of the Museum was rather outdated though; definitely, needs a renovation and lights. We hope someone will take a look at this at some point.

Sun and sea

After spending a few days in Athens (we also visited the Zoo which is close to the Athens airport and had a lot of fun!), of course, we went to Evia, to visit our favorite Aegean beaches and enjoy the garden of Panos’ parent's house in the country.

We went to Korasida, Cheromylos and of course, Mourteri/Agios Merkourios. These three beaches are among our favorites, and we try and visit them every year. Especially the last one, which is a 5km long beach, with very few visitors, so you can enjoy the sea without any noise or people close to you if looking for a calm place. The first half of the beach is called Mourteri, and the second half is called Agios Merkourios. A cliff divides the beach in two, separating the more touristically developed Mourteri from, the more deserted, but calmer Agios Merkourios.

When we want to visit these beaches, we keep an eye on the weather, to see which days the winds are not so strong, as these beaches are exposed to northern winds, and there are a lot of waves on windy days. If you ever visit Evia and want to swim there, here’s a tip: a great indication for the waves is the weather of Kymi ( a nearby town). Also, always visit early in the morning when the winds are low.

This summer we used a lot our diving masks and snorkels. This way, we had a lot of fun observing the amazing marine flora and fauna in the area. The waters on the Aegean side of Evia are crystal clear, and you can see beautiful cuttlefish on the sandy or pebble bottom, shells, shellfish, and sea urchins on rocks; and of course, a plethora of fish :) It was truly magical diving in these blue waters.

The organic garden

As we mentioned many times before, one of the things we love about visiting Evia is the fact that Panos’ parents have a big organic garden there. Even though during the summer people don’t cook as much as in the winter, there’s so much produce there, you can’t help it trying out new recipes, new ways to enjoy it.

As you have probably guessed, we made countless Greek salads, fried huge stacks of zucchini fritters, dipped them in tons of tzatziki, baked pans and pans with gemista, had a lot of kagianas for breakfast or lunch, made moussaka when in need for comfort food, used the eggplants with pasta or made melitzanosalata and went on and on. We couldn’t and wouldn’t stop, as long as there was produce in the baskets :)

What we wouldn’t use, we sliced, grated, chopped and did whatever necessary to preserve for the winter. So now our freezer is full of in-season-out-of-season frozen produce. :) And that’s a great practice for everyone, in order to enjoy tasty veggies. Buy them when in-season, and especially when on sale, chop or grate and freeze in ziplock bags. This way, you can make a magnificent marinara in the middle of the winter, with the flavors of an August’s tomato. Isn’t that great?

In the evenings, we loved sitting on our veranda to enjoy a cantaloupe, a watermelon, some apricots or peaches, and -in late August- some grapes and figs. Figs are so awesome. If you never had them before, buy a few when in season and eat fresh, preferably on the same day. You really have to try them: soft and silky on the outside, with dark red, soft flesh on the inside and crunchy tiny edible seeds. Just cut one in quarters and put it on some Greek yogurt. Drizzle then with honey: heaven! It’s the perfect dessert, plus it’s super healthy!

One pan baked fish

During the summer, people don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. That’s understandable, with all the outdoor activities one can enjoy during the season. So, one pan, easy recipes, are a perfect choice. Since we shared our summer memories in this post, we thought we should share one of the one pan recipes that only need a few minutes to prepare. Plus now that it’s October, you probably have a ton of things to do on weekdays, right?

And this is one of the easiest fish recipes out there. A dump and bake, one-pan baked fish that we make very often on weekdays, when the time is precious, being busy with all day-to-day activities and our household.

Fish is a great source of lean protein, and also contains a lot of heart-healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids) that are good for one's heart. So, pairing it with a vinaigrette lettuce salad or brown rice it makes for a complete, filling AND healthy meal. Isn’t that great?

As mentioned, one of the things we love about this baked fish recipe is that it’s very easy and therefore convenient. You don’t need a lot of prep time. You simply turn on the oven, prepare the onion and the tomato, mix the ingredients for the sauce, dump it in a pan, dip the fish steaks in it and then lay them over and bake. As simple as that! And while it’s baking, you can prepare the salad or the rice (or both).

We call this recipe “Mediterranean fish” and not “Greek fish”, even though it does contain ingredients used it the Greek cuisine, just like in this very old “fish plaki” recipe on the blog (Please excuse us for the terrible photo, it was published years ago when we first started blogging LOL).

The reason for not calling this recipe “Greek”, is the secret ingredient: smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is a classic ingredient in the Spanish cuisine, not the Greek one. It’s a spice we love to use in many of our recipes (like in mac 'n cheese for instance), and has a very distinct, unique flavor. You can also use smoked Hungarian paprika, of course, that’s equally delicious; whichever is available around your area.

The type of fish we suggest using in this recipe is any large white fish. Fish steaks or fish fillets cut into large pieces would both work excellent. We have tried this with cod, haddock, swordfish and large sea breams. You can use whichever you prefer or is on sale. The sauce will provide all the flavor in this recipe, so don’t hesitate to buy a cheaper, more affordable piece of white fish.

Frozen fish steaks work well too, but make sure to thaw them properly. Place them (covered with film) in a bowl in your fridge, and let them thaw for up to 24 hours. Then rinse, and pat dry with kitchen towels. You will need a lot of towels, as frozen fish is watery. But it will work just as well as fresh. Perhaps it will take a little time more to bake, that’s all.

The combination of the smoked paprika with the extra virgin olive oil and the oregano is amazing. Plus, adding a good wine will enhance the flavors, creating a delicious dish. Make sure to dribble some of the juices from the pan on top of the fish when serving it. And a little extra virgin olive oil as well.

So, let’s see how you can make this easy fish in the oven!

Ingredients:

- 3-4 fish steaks or fish fillets (cod, haddock, swordfish) cut into large pieces, about 1Kg / 2lb
- 1 medium sized tomato, 250-300gr / 9-10oz
- 1 medium-sized onion, 130-160gr / 4.5-5.5oz, finely chopped or sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme (or 1/2 tablespoon fresh)
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano (or 2 tablespoons fresh)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon paprika, preferably smoked
- salt, pepper
- a little finely chopped parsley to garnish (optional)

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Preparation:

Rinse and pat dry your fish steaks (or fillets). If using frozen fish, thaw in the fridge for 24hours, and then pat dry with a lot of kitchen towels, as it’s quite watery. Sprinkle some salt on both sides of each steak.

Grate the tomato (pic. 1) and strain it, using a fine sieve (pic. 2) to remove some of the water.

Add the tomato in a large bowl and add the olive oil (pic. 3) and the wine (pic. 4).

Add the thyme, the oregano and the paprika (pic. 5), salt and pepper, the onion and the garlic (pic. 6).

Mix well with a spoon (pic. 7) and empty the bowl’s contents in a baking dish, large enough to accommodate your fish steaks (pic. 8).

Press each fish steak into the sauce, flip and lay on top (pic. 9). The steaks will look like the ones in the pic.10.

Bake in a convection oven, at 200C / 390F for 30-40 minutes (depending on the thickness of the steaks and whether they’re fresh or frozen and thawed – in which case they’re usually waterier).

The fish is ready when most of the liquid has evaporated. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, to allow it to absorb the flavors of the surrounding gravy.

Serve with a simple vinaigrette-lettuce salad or rice. You can also serve this with French fries, if not looking for a healthier option :) Dribble the juices and some extra virgin olive oil on top for extra flavor.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. As mentioned, if using frozen fish, thaw for 24 hours in a bowl in the fridge and then pat dry with kitchen towels. Makes sure it’s dry enough, as frozen fish tends to be watery.

2. You can use cod, haddock, swordfish, sea bream or any other firm white flesh fish for this dish. Skip tuna or salmon in this recipe.

3. Try to get some high quality smoked paprika for this. It will define the flavor of the dish. You can use it in countless other recipes as well: in stews, to rub chicken or steaks for grilling, you can sprinkle it with salt on fries, you can use it in dips/sauces …you get the picture :)

4. You can try this dish with fresh, finely chopped fennel fronds (or dill) and skip the thyme, the oregano, and the paprika. It’s a different, equally delicious variation that’s better served with French fries.

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Mouthwatering, Greek style oven baked feta (Guest Post)

littlecookingtips — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 17:00:23 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

144

Servings:

serves 2

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

getting close to vacation

It’s hard to believe that July is already coming to an end! The days seem to fly by this summer. We’re getting close to our vacation, and it’s ever harder to keep our minds together and not spend several hours each day, thinking of the beaches, the tryout of new recipes, the serene nights with fresh cold fruit on the veranda in Evia... all those relaxing days one desperately needs after a hard, busy winter season.

Just watching the starry sky every night when in the country, right before going to sleep, seems to connect one with body, mind, and spirit, doesn’t it? It’s these magical summer moments when you supercharge with relaxation and happiness that help you endure the hardships of everyday life.

We’re indulging ourselves with movie nights in the balcony in Athens and short trips to Athenian beaches for the time being. It helps, but it’s just not the same when you know that on Monday another full working week awaits you, right?

If you’re following us on our recently created Instagram account, you might have seen our video on “Stories”, where we visited a beach last Sunday, only to find out that the Aegean wasn’t in the right mood: huge waves (!) and winds prevented us from taking a short swim. The road trip, however, was compensating enough; we lowered the car’s windows and allowed the summer breeze, full of the aroma of wild thyme and pine trees to fill our lungs, listening to the cicadas as we traveled through small country roads where nature seemed to be still untouched by the modern civilization. Of course, on the next day, when we came back to Athens, the wind calmed down and we got really high temps again. Murphy’s law in action :)

guest posting at Easy and Delish

We felt so honored when Denise, from Easy and Delish asked us a few weeks back, to be part of a guest post series on her blog. You see, we have been following her work for quite a few years now, from the early days of her previous blog From Brazil to You, where she introduced us to her awesome, authentic and delicious Brazilian recipes! Denise has been an inspiration to us throughout the years and taught us so many things about cooking. For that, all her beautiful posts and her constant love and support, we'd like to take this opportunity and publicly say a huge THANK YOU to her, from the bottom of our hearts.

oven baked feta

Denise's theme in this guest post series was easy weeknight meals or quick desserts. Most Greek foods often take a little time to prepare, so we considered some of the simpler recipes we could use for this post, and after discussing this with Denise, we both agreed on an easy and yummy appetizer, which can also be served as a light meal, along with a salad and/or some crusty bread. This dish is the Oven Baked Feta! Some people also call this dish Feta saganaki, even though Cheese saganaki is mostly a fried slice of cheese.

You can find oven baked feta at almost every tavern in tourist locations throughout the country, especially in the summer. It's one of the most popular dishes, and it's usually one of the dishes people order as an appetizer, or a side in order to accompany grilled meats and tempura-style fried veggies.

The ingredients are very easy to find, are very simple, and the result is really delicious. Since the ingredients are only a few though, we suggest you use the best quality you can purchase. For instance, authentic sheep's milk feta is highly recommended as well as organic tomatoes and peppers.

To prepare the dish, you simply make a small "tray" from foil, add feta, onion, tomatoes, pepper, thyme, oregano and EVOO and broil it for a few minutes. The texture of the feta completely changes to slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside. The veggies and the oregano add a lot of flavor and texture as well.

With the quantity described in this recipe, you can serve 2. You can easily, however, make a few more trays of foil with the same combo and serve A LOT more people. This is super convenient if you’re having people over, for a BBQ for instance. While the meat is being grilled outside, you can prep a cookie sheet/baking dish with as many as 6 of these small foil trays and broil them at the same time. It’s guaranteed that everyone will love them; this is one of the best recipes with feta cheese.

Ingredients:

Click here to jump over to Denise’s Easy and Delicious for the ingredients and the recipe!

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Greek roasted leg of lamb - Kleftiko

littlecookingtips — Sun, 07 May 2017 05:50:50 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

563

Servings:

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This is a recipe requested by many of you friends out there: Kleftiko roasted leg of lamb. Judging from the number of requests, this must be one of the most popular Greek recipes abroad. :) Of course we do have our own version, which is traditional and authentic, without much fuss and without the need for too many ingredients.

This Easter, we published a recipe for Tsoureki, the traditional Greek Easter bread. However, this wasn’t the only thing that we baked during the celebrations. We also roasted slowly lamb, Kleftiko style. And we took the pictures in order to prepare this post for all of you that requested this.

During the Easter holidays we took the opportunity, as most Greeks do, to visit the countryside. Greece is really amazing during the spring, and if you’ve never been here in April or May, you’re really missing out. The nature is blossoming, the temperatures are warmer and the days are getting longer. So what would be better than visiting small villages and enjoying the breathtaking scenery? We loved walking in small footpaths, connecting forests to villages, meadows to serene –and empty- beaches.

Besides enjoying nature, we cooked a large variety of new recipes and tested some of our culinary ideas as well. You’ll be seeing the results of this in the near future, in some of our next posts. We baked our own bread with whole wheat farro(emmer) flour, we made our own pasta and the knowledge one gets from practicing with dough, is really priceless. There’s nothing like fresh, crusty bread that you make with your own hands, baking it at home.

An authentic Kleftiko recipe

As we mentioned though, one of the dishes that we cooked during the holidays was Kleftiko. The recipe for Kleftiko we are posting here is an authentic one, which means that it doesn’t include any veggies. It’s a recipe for a delicious, tender leg of lamb. You can serve this with a horiatiki Greek salad, lemon garlic roasted potatoes, tzatziki and fresh, crusty bread. The authentic version does not contain potatoes. After all, potatoes were not used in Greek cuisine until after the revolution of 1821 and Kleftiko is a much older recipe. Nowadays, people often add potatoes and/or peppers and/or cheese, like feta or kefalotyri in Kleftiko; the result is definitely richer. We suggest that you first try this basic recipe though and then move on and make it your own by adding your favorite ingredients in the dish.

Kleftiko: a little history of this recipe

Kleftiko, is derived from the word Klepht. Klephts were Greek anti-Ottoman insurgents, carrying on the war against the Ottomans throughout the years they had conquered Greece. Kpepht is literally the one who steals, named this way, because Klephts stole weapons and goods from the Ottoman authorities in order to continue their struggle against them.

They mostly lived in groups high in the mountains and in rural areas. Since they were evading the Ottoman army, they had to find ways to cook their food without being noticed. Their method of roasting the lamb took its name “Kleftiko” from them. The method was more less the following: first they were digging a shallow pit in the ground. Then they were lighting a fire, and as soon as enough burning charcoal was formed, they were placing the meat, covered in a package, on top. Then, they were covering everything (the package and the fire) with soil and rocks, in order to hide the smell and the smoke from the enemy and they were leaving the area.

This way, it was taking a lot of hours for the food to be cooked through, not unlike modern day slow cookers, but the result was very tender, juicy and delicious! So this method continues to this day, since it produces such excellent, tasty food. You can still find lamb cooked the traditional way, in the ground, in rural places in Crete and Central Greece. But most people of course, simply use parchment paper and their home ovens:) Another way to cook Kleftiko at home is using a clay pot or a Dutch oven.

In this post, we are using parchment paper, which is much closer to the original “package” idea for cooking the meat, back in the years of the struggle for Greek Independence. It’s really easy to replicate this and the lamb is falling-off –the bone tender.

Greeks and lamb

Contrary to popular belief, Kleftiko -and lamb in general- is not something Greeks enjoy on a regular basis. Lamb and goat are mostly cooked around Easter, during celebrations and in special occasions. For instance, if there’s a religious festival in a village (panigiri) you certainly will find lamb or goat being served .So, Kleftiko is a special dish that’s not very often cooked in Greek households; but when it does, it’s much appreciated by everyone. Most of us have beautiful memories, growing up in Greek households, when in special occasions, the smell of lamb, slowly roasting in the oven for hours filled the air. To this day, this smell takes us back to these wonderful times!

In this recipe, the leg of lamb is cooked to the point that you can shred it with a fork. It will remind you of pulled pork and similar dishes. That’s the way lamb is cooked in Greece. You won’t find any medium or medium-rare lamb here. The lamb is cooked in wine, olive oil and lemon juice, with herbs and garlic for hours. And when you take a bite, it almost melts in your mouth!

Ingredients:

- 1.5-2kg / 3.5-4.5lbs leg of lamb, on the bone*
- 4-5 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
- 1/2 fresh lemon, for rubbing the meat
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 125ml (1/2 cup - 8 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons), for baking the lamb
- 80ml (1/3 cup - 6 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil, for baking the lamb
- 125ml (1/2 cup - 8 tablespoons) white wine

*if too fatty you can ask your butcher to trim some of the fat, or you can remove some of it yourself with a sharp knife. Usually not necessary.

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Preparation

First, using the tip of a sharp knife (a boning knife is perfect for this), make small slits in the meat (like in pic. 1), both on top and bottom. Insert a sliver of garlic in each slit (pic. 2).

Rub the meat with the cut side of the lemon-half, squeezing it gently (pic. 3, pic. 4). Do this on both sides.

Drizzle with the olive oil (pic. 5) and brush or rub to coat. Season generously both sides with salt (pic. 6).

Add the pepper (pic. 7) and the thyme (pic. 8) on both sides.

Rub the seasoning, trying to spread it evenly (pic. 9). Place 4 large pieces of parchment paper in a roasting pan, forming a cross; or 6 pieces, forming a star. Place the meat in the center (pic. 10).

Add the rosemary leaves (pic. 11), squeeze the juice of the two lemons (the 125ml, pic. 12), and add the olive oil (the 80ml, pic. 13).

Finally, add the white wine (pic. 14). Wrap the meat in the parchment, as tightly as possible, creating a package (pic. 15). At this point, some of the juices may spill into the roasting pan. Don't worry, it happens sometimes. Make sure most of it is in the package you created though in case this happens.

Tie the package with kitchen string (pic. 16). At this point, you can refrigerate it for up to 1 day. This will allow the marinade to penetrate fully into the meat. Take it out of the fridge for 1 hour before baking. If you don’t have the time for marinating though, you can go ahead and bake it straight up.

Bake in preheated oven at 200C/390F (convection oven - fan assisted) for 30 minutes. Then lower to 180C/350F and continue baking for 2 hours.
Finally, remove from the oven, cut the parchment with kitchen scissors. Baste the lamb with the juices and place the pan back in the oven, for 30 more minutes, until browned.

Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. As mentioned before, serve with a horiatiki Greek salad, lemon garlic roasted potatoes, tzatziki and fresh, crusty bread. Pure Heaven!
Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. As mentioned, this is the basic recipe for Kleftiko. You can add potatoes in the package, and bake them together with the lamb. You can also try it with peppers and onions, adding some feta or Kefalotyri as well in the last 30 minutes of baking (also try Pecorino if you can't find Kefalotyri). The result is amazing!
2. You can also omit the parchment paper, and bake this in a large, heavy Dutch oven or clay pot.
3. Kleftiko tastes much better if you let the meat in the marinade overnight and up to 1 day.

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Traditional Greek Easter Bread (Tsoureki)

littlecookingtips — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 13:43:27 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

312

Servings:

12+ slices/pieces

Preparation Time:

4 hours

Cooking Time:

45 minutes

Easter is almost here! For all us Greeks, Easter (called Pascha in Greek) is the greatest religious holiday of the year. Celebrating Easter in Greece, is a beautiful event, even for the non-believers. The mysticism surrounding the days right before the Resurrection (which is celebrated on Holy Saturday, at midnight) is truly unique. Easter is a huge deal; a great social event, rich in traditions.

After the Great Lent, which starts 40 days before Easter (on Clean Monday), is the Holy Week, the week before Easter. This is a time when most Greeks, even the most secular ones, are fasting, abstaining from meat and dairy consumption. Churches are packed with people every night; the priests read the gospels that tell the story of Jesus’s last days and His path to the cross and the Resurrection. These days have a great sense of community, as everyone awaits Jesus’ redemption.

After all, Easter is always on spring, so there’s a great relation between Jesus’s resurrection and nature’s rebirth as well, after the long period of winter. Celebrating Easter in Greece is filled with the smells of flower blossoms, like jasmine and lilac. Most people celebrate Pascha in the country, in their villages of origin, so they’re getting in touch with their roots, meeting friends and relatives in a huge (and loud!) Greek celebration:)

Holy Week's Traditions

Some of the most popular Easter culinary traditions begin on Holy Thursday. This is the day of the beginning of The Passion, so eggs are dyed red, to symbolize the blood of our Lord. Most people dye hard boiled eggs at home; but they’re also available (already boiled and dyed) in super markets and grocery stores.

Another Holy Thursday tradition, is baking the Easter bread “Tsoureki”, which is very similar to Challah. It’s a braided sweet bread, that’s served after the Resurrection. Placing a red dyed egg in the middle of the Tsoureki is also common. The aroma of this sweet bread is truly unique; it’s a combination of ground Chios mastic (a natural resin) and ground mahleb (also called mahlab or mahlepi, it’s ground wild cherry pits). This is the recipe we’ll be sharing with all of you this Easter. As for getting those two ingredients, don’t worry; you can easily order them online and get them delivered to your doorstep; they are widely available:)

Many people are also baking Easter cookies, called koulourakia on Holy Thursday. They’re butter based, braided and glazed, and are usually served on Easter Sunday.
Both koulourakia cookies and the sweet Tsoureki bread are also eaten all year round, as they’re very popular with coffee and tea.

As the Passion progresses on Good Friday, the day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus, the fasting is much stricter. On this day, most people will abstain from any type of protein and fat (like olive oil). Most people eat simple salads, dried or fresh fruits, bread and nuts. It’s a day of mourning; the image of Jesus is put on a funeral bier and the bells toll solemnly throughout the day. The bier is called Epitafios (or Epitaphios/Epitaph), and it’s decorated by young girls with spring flowers. During this day, almost everyone will visit a church, after midday (when the decoration is over) to pay his or her respects to this symbolic Jesus’ bier, usually throwing some flower pedals on it, like you would do for a close person or a relative who has passed away.

In the evening, there’s the Perifora of the Epitaph. In every town or village, the Epitafios is carried on the shoulders of the worshippers, in a symbolic funeral procession which takes place in the main streets. The people carrying the Epitafios are constantly changing in this process, as it is a great honor to carry Jesus on one’s shoulders. The people following the bier are holding lit funeral candles, and chanting one of the most wonderful Orthodox hymns: "Ω γλυκύ μου έαρ" (O glyki mou e-ar), which literally means “My Sweet Spring”, mourning the death of Jesus on this most beautiful of seasons. Here’s the hymn:

On Holy Saturday, people are beginning the preparations for the dinner that follows the midnight service and the next day’s (Easter Sunday) feast. In this day, most people will prepare the Magiritsa soup. Magiritsa is a soup with dill or fennel, greens and lamb’s liver and/or other offal, in egg-lemon sauce (avgolemono). When we prepare this dish ourselves we only use liver, as we find that it tastes much better; but if you’re not into offal, don’t worry: there’s a vegetarian version as well, made with mushrooms that’s equally delicious!

At the same day, people prepare two of the main dishes for Easter Sunday: the lamb or goat, that’s usually whole spit-roasted, is prepared with spices and it’s put on a spit to drain. The other dish is the kokoretsi, that’s truly not for the faint-hearted:) Kokoretsi is lamb’s (or goat’s) offal, usually liver and lung, chopped in small pieces and placed in a spit, heavily seasoned and tightly tied together with the lamb’s small intestine (that’s thoroughly cleaned at least a day before). The reason for this, is leaving nothing to go to waste, but we do realize that it’s a tough sight for any non-Greek to see:)

On Holy Saturday evening, most people will visit a church before midnight, for the last Mass. This is a huge community event; everywhere you look, around midnight you’ll see families walking towards a church with lambades on their hands. Lambades are the celebratory candles (white or decorated ones), that will be lit with the Holy Fire just a few minutes before Easter. The children’s lambades are usually given to them by their godparents or their grandparents (if the godparents weren’t available).

The Holy Fire is miraculously lit during Mass on Jerusalem, on the actual site of Jesus’ tomb on Holy Saturday and it’s then flown to Greece and distributed to all the churches, a few hours before midnight (when Easter will be celebrated).

So, when the priest reads the gospel with the story of the Angel discovering that Jesus was resurrected, the Holy Fire is distributed to the people observing the Mass. The flame of the Holy fire is passed from person to person and all the lambades are lit and any other lights are turned off. It’s truly a mystical moment, that wins even the hearts of the most devoted atheists:) People you don’t even know (and probably won’t see again) light your candle and you exchange wishes with them (and then pass the flame, lighting the candle of the people next to you).

On midnight, the priest is chanting “Χριστός Ανέστη!” (Christos Anesti! – Christ is Risen!) and the Easter frenzy begins! :) First, you kiss and hug every relative that is with you in the Church. Second, you kiss and hug any neighbor or other familiar person from your town or village you see on the church as well:) The bells toll madly and joyously, in the ports the ships sound their horns, fireworks go off everywhere, in the villages people fire their hunting shotguns(!)…you get the picture :)

And then the people start walking back to their homes with the lit lambabes on hand. It’s a wonderful sight to see, with all the smiling faces eager to start their dinner.
When people arrive at home, the tradition is to make the sign of the cross with the smoke of the Holy Fire on the door sill. At least one candle with the Holy Fire is then placed at the center of the dinner table.

The two main items on Holy Saturday’s dinner are the magiritsa soup and the hard-boiled red dyed eggs. The reason for not serving something like grilled meat (since the Lent is over after the midnight service), is to prepare one, after having abstained from meat for so long, with something lighter. So, the protein from the soup and the eggs is perfect; after all, this dinner is served very late at night.

But you don’t simply crack the eggs open and eat them; nope! :) Where’s the fun in that? On Easter, there’s a sort of “competition” at the dinner table. Here’s the deal: everyone selects a red dyed egg. Then, in pairs, people tap each other’s egg, intending to break the other’s without breaking one’s own. The last person with his or her egg intact, is the lucky person of the night:) When one taps the egg of another, one says “Christos Anesti – Christ is Risen” and the other answers “Alithos Anesti – It’s true that he is Risen”. Isn’t this wonderful?

And then, before you know it, it’s Easter Sunday morning! Early in this day, the men in the family prepare the fire and start roasting the kokoretsi and the lamb. This is traditionally a men’s work. The women prepare different small plates with meze, like eggs, dips and other goodies. These are the appetizers served before the big feast, that will follow when the lamb is ready. Most people try to eat less of those, and drink less wine and beer as well, to enjoy the roasted lamb when the table is set for the Easter Lunch.

When the lamb is ready, roasted to the point that the meat is falling off the bone, it is transferred to a table and carved into portions. The Easter table is then prepared, again with eggs, dips and other meze, salads and breads and A LOT of wine and beer. People stuff their faces with lamb, tell jokes and stories, and everything that you’d expect from a loud Greek family gathering. :)

Did we mention the music? Traditional Greek country music is played through speakers all over the country, throughout the day. This is the day when the distant uncle you’ve never seen before, is pulling your hand to stand up and dance with the rest of the family, as a courtesy to him:) Happy times, right? :)

When the feast (and the dancing) is over, which can easily take up to 12 hours (oh yes), there’s time for more: club sodas and dessert are finally served. Yes, there’s dessert as well! It all starts with the sweet tsoureki bread and continue with syrup-drenched sweets like baklava, kataifi, galaktoboureko and many more (even the non-traditional ice cream!).It’s not rare to see strange combinations at this point (perhaps the drinking has contributed to this!), like ice cream on baklava, ice cream on tsoureki, ice cream in your coffee etc.

The Tsoureki Easter Bread

But let’s get back to the wonderful sweet Easter bread: Tsoureki. As mentioned before, this is the recipe we’d like to share in this post (besides the traditions you just read). It’s a fantastic, fluffy bread, made with butter, milk, eggs and flour. The aromas from the Chios mastic, the mahleb and the orange zest however, are what make this truly unique (and delicious!).

Like we mentioned above, tsoureki is very popular and is also eaten throughout the year; you can easily get it at any bakery or pastry shop. People also bake tsoureki at home and serve it as a snack or with coffee or tea. Our favorite combination though is with chocolate-hazelnut spreads like Merenda or Nutella. You really don’t know what you’re missing if you never tried a slice of tsoureki with such spread! Please do try it.

If you never tried Tsoureki or Challah (that’s similar) before, making one might sound a bit challenging. Please don’t be intimidated though; with our step by step instructions, we’re confident you’ll bake a magnificent Tsoureki at your first attempt. Feel free to drop as an email or comment below, if you have any questions; we’re happy to help.

The secret for a really great Tsoureki is choosing a high-protein bread flour. You should check the package, with the nutritional info. The protein percentage should be at least 13% and the higher it is, the better. We usually buy a 14-16% protein flour ourselves. Also, don’t ever bake Tsoureki in a hurry. You should give the dough the proper time to rise if you want a fluffy and chewy texture.

So, let’s see the recipe for the authentic, traditional Greek tsoureki!

Ingredients:

- 500g / 17.5oz / 1lb bread flour*
- 200g / 7oz granulated sugar
- 115g / 4oz (1 stick) butter
- 125ml (1/2 cup) milk, lukewarm
- 12g / 0.4oz (1 1/2 sachet) dry yeast
- 3 eggs for the dough
- 1 egg, beaten for brushing the loaf before baking
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground Chios mastic**
- 1 teaspoon ground mahleb/mahlab**
- zest from a medium sized orange***

* Choose the bread flour with the highest protein content; the more the better. We buy 14%-16% protein flour. The minimum for this recipe is 13%. Check the package to verify this.
** Don’t worry about finding these. If they aren’t available at your local supermarket you can easily get them online and have them delivered to your doorstep.
*** Take off only the rind of the orange's skin. Be careful not to take the white pith as well, as it is bitter.

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Preparation

Grind the mastic into powder, with a mortar and pestle. You can use 1 teaspoon (or 2) of the sugar to make this easier, as mastic tends to be sticky when ground (pic. 1-3).

Add the yeast (pic. 4) and 1/4 of the flour –that’s 125g / 4.5oz- (pic.5) to the lukewarm milk.
Mix well (pic. 6) and cover with film or a kitchen towel. Set aside, away from drafts. Let it rest for about 30minutes to 1 hour until it doubles in size. Melt the butter on low heat. Set aside to cool.

Use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer and beat the 3 eggs, for a few seconds. Add the sugar (pic. 7) and whisk, on medium speed, for about a minute (pic. 8).

Add the salt, the mahleb (pic. 9) and the mastic (pic. 10),

the orange zest (pic. 11) and the melted butter (pic. 12). Whisk for a few more seconds.

Add the prepared yeast mixture (pic. 13). Replace the whisk attachment with the dough hook (pic. 14). If you don’t have one, you’ll have to mix well with a spatula.

Gradually add the flour, one tablespoon at a time (pic. 15), while mixing continuously. Knead with the hook for 10 minutes (pic. 16), on low speed. If you don’t have a dough hook, knead by hand for 15 minutes.

The dough must be firm, smooth and a bit elastic. Place in a bowl (pic. 17), cover with film or a kitchen towel and set aside for 2 – 3 hours to double in size.

Punch down to deflate the dough. Empty it on a working surface (pic. 18). You can also dust the surface with very little flour. Be careful though; too much flour will have an impact on your tsoureki. If the dough isn’t sticking much, don’t flour the surface at all.

Divide the dough in 3 pieces (pic. 19). Roll each piece to form a loaf-like shape. Hold the ends and stretch it a bit more, to form a rope-like strand (like the ones in the beginning, in pic. 20). When the 3 pieces are formed into strands, pinch their ends together at one end (again, like in the beginning of pic. 20).

Braid the strands, the way that is shown in the animated picture (pic. 20):
1. Take the right strand and bring it over the middle strand. Set this next to the left strand.
2. Take the strand that’s now on the right, and move it slightly further to the right.
3. Take the left strand and bring it over the middle strand next to the right strand.
4. Take the right strand and bring it over the middle strand. Set it next to the left strand.
5. Take the left strand and bring it over the middle strand next to the right strand.
6. Continue the process (left to the right-then right to the left), depending on how long your strands are.
7. Tuck the ends underneath the braided loaf.

Don’t worry if the above is confusing to you! Here’s an amazing video from Titli Nihaan that can make braiding super easy to anyone.

Repeat as many times necessary to get the idea (that’s what we did a few years back!)

Carefully transfer the braided loaf on a -lined with parchment- baking sheet. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside. Let it rise, for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Brush generously with the egg that’s left (pic. 21).

Bake in preheated oven at 190C/370F (in convection oven - fan assisted baking) for 35-40 minutes, until browned. Allow it to cool completely before cutting it.

Kalo Pascha! (Happy Easter!)

Tips:

1. You really must try a slice of tsoureki with some fruit preserves or Nutella. The combination is divine!

2. Always wrap the tsoureki in film after cutting the slices you want to serve, in order to keep it moist, as it tends to dry out.

3. In case that’s rare!- there’s some tsoureki left after a couple of days, you can broil or toast it and make rusks. Those are perfect with your coffee or tea.

4. Choose a high-protein bread flour for this recipe. The more protein, the better.

5. If you liked tsoureki, and you like authentic bread recipes, you should also check out Karen Kerr’s amazing blog “Karen's Kitchen Stories”. Her food blog is one of our favorites and we often visit it to learn techniques and discover tips; especially those related to baking, as she's one of the top bakers out there. Take a look at this beautiful Challah for instance. Isn’t it wonderful?

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How to make Pastitsio: The Greek Lasagna Casserole

littlecookingtips — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 20:50:03 +0000

Photo and text by Mirella Kaloglou and Panos Diotis.

Calories (per serving):

803

Servings:

serves 10-12

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

2 hours

What a winter! The period of unusually cold weather we’re experiencing this year, which has started before the Christmas season, isn’t like anything we encountered before. The snow storm Ariadne hit Greece hard in January, with heavy snowfalls, even at sea level. The temperatures plummeted for days, even in the islands(!), with snow up to 2m/6.5ft in depth in some places, like Evia.

So, when the storm passed, one of the best places to explore was Steni, a mountain village in Evia, within a quick drive from Athens. We wanted to see first-hand how much snow there was and explore nature as well.

When we arrived, the first images of winter scenery in the village were a testament to the serious problems the snow storm must’ve caused to the people living there. We went to Evia 15 days after the storm had passed and even then, there was a lot of frozen snow in the streets. The main roads however, were clear, so people could reach the island’s main city (Halkida) for provisions.

We had our morning coffee at a cute little café in the village, to warm ourselves up, and then started driving towards the top of the mountain. We wanted to see if we could reach the top, which is about 1800m/6000ft high, but couldn’t do it, due to the fog, snow and ice. The road was very slippery and narrow at places.

So, we took some pictures around the fir trees and the snow, enjoyed the scenery and went back to the village which was about 600m/2000ft down from the place we stopped for pictures. We bought some local honey and fresh artisan bread from the village’s old bakery to bring with us back to Athens. Both were excellent quality and we enjoyed them with a little butter in the next morning, to really appreciate the flavors.

With all this cold weather outside, the timing was perfect for the ultimate Greek comfort food: Pastitsio! What is pastitsio? It’s the Greek version of lasagna; an extremely delicious, rich baked meat and pasta casserole, with creamy sauce and cheese! Need we say more?

The word pastitsio, probably comes from the Italian pasticcio, a very similar pasta casserole that’s very popular around the Mediterranean. The Greek version has three layers: pasta, ground beef sauce (usually scented with a little cinnamon) and a top layer of creamy, cheesy sauce (we call it béchamel here, but it’s actually Mornay).

The pasta used in pastitsio is usually a long tubular macaroni. A slightly thinner version of this is bucatini. People abroad however, also make this dish with ziti, rigatoni or even penne, as long tubular pasta is a bit harder to find sometimes. In this recipe we’ll use the traditional macaroni, but feel free to try the dish with any of the aforementioned pasta.

Two of the main ingredients for this dish are the cheese and the eggs. Both of those help in binding the pasta, the meat and the sauce together. Also, when in room temperature, the top layer becomes thick like custard, just like in moussaka, the other popular Greek casserole. In order to help the sauce on top stay in its place, we have a small tip to share here as well: we keep some of the boiled and drained pasta aside; a handful of two will suffice. Then, we add them at the top, right above the meat sauce, and pour the béchamel cream over. The pasta added here, helps holding the sauce in place when everything is baked together.

Pastitsio is made with traditional Greek cheeses. Most people use kefalotyri. A sharp and salty hard cheese, made from sheep’s milk. Don’t worry though; if it’s not available at your area, you can use Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheeses instead. The result is equally delicious.

If having to cook three layers sounds a bit confusing or hard, don’t worry. We’ll provide you with handy step-by-step pictures to make things easy. Making pastitsio needs a little time and effort, but the dish is definitely worth it! Put it on the menu for a Sunday meal with friends or family and it’ll be a huge hit.

If you want to save some time, you can make the meat sauce ahead. The meat sauce requires most of your attention, and we often prepare it a day before. This way, we only have to boil and drain the pasta and prepare the béchamel sauce the day we bake the pastitsio. It’s a lot easier this way!

You can also assemble the pastitsio a day ahead, put it in the fridge and then simply bake it right before dinner. Another option is to cook this dish ahead, baking and everything, and then store it in the fridge, covered with film; in this case simply reheat in a convection oven for 20-25 minutes (at 160C/320F) on the next day.

When you take the dish out of the oven, the smell will make it irresistible to cut right into it. You must resist the temptation though and allow it to cool down, before cutting into pieces. Let it cool down for at least 30 minutes. This way cutting the pieces will be easier and the temperature will be just right to enjoy it.

So let’s see the recipe for an authentic Greek pastitsio.

Ingredients:

For the meat sauce:

- 1kg / 34oz / 2lb ground beef*
- 250g / 9oz (2-3 medium sized) onions, finely chopped
- 400g / 14oz (about 2) tomatoes, grated**
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
- 180ml (3/4 cup) olive oil
- 125ml (1/2 cup) red wine***
- 70g / 2.5oz kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated****
- 1/4 teaspoon (a pinch) ground cinnamon
- salt, pepper

*You can also use ground turkey for a leaner version or ground lamb for a more authentic flavor. You can mix ground beef with ground lamb or beef with pork as well.
** You can also use canned crushed tomatoes
*** You can also use white wine or even cider.
**** You can also use Parmesan or Graviera or Dubliner or aged Asiago or Provolone.

For the pasta:

- 500g / 17.5oz / 1lb long macaroni or bucatini*
- 3 egg whites, lightly beaten (you will use the yolks in the béchamel below)
- 90g / 3oz (3/4 stick) butter, unsalted
- 70g / 2.5oz kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated**

*You can also use rigatoni or ziti or penne.
** You can also use Parmesan or Graviera or Dubliner or aged Asiago or Provolone.

For the béchamel (mornay) sauce:

- 200g / 7oz (1 3/4 sticks) butter, unsalted in room temperature
- 140g / 5oz flour, all-purpose
- 1.5lt (6 cups) milk, room temperature
- 3 egg yolks
- 70g / 2.5oz kefalotyri or pecorino cheese, grated**
- a pinch of nutmeg
- salt, pepper

** You can also use Parmesan or Graviera or Dubliner or aged Asiago or Provolone.

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Preparation:
Start by making the meat sauce. This is the part that requires most of your attention. You can make this a day before and store in the fridge if you want to save some time.

Add the olive oil in a large saucepan/skillet or a medium sized pot and place over medium high heat. Once hot, add the onions (pic. 1) and stir until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the ground meat (pic. 2) and stir. Try to break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until most of the moisture is evaporated.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, the cinnamon, salt and pepper (pic. 3). Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously until it gets a bit dry (pic. 4).

Add the wine (pic. 5). Continue cooking for 2 minutes more and then add the grated tomatoes (pic. 6). Cook for 8-10 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates and the mixture is thick.

Remove from heat, add the cheese (pic. 7) and give it a final stir to incorporate. Have a taste to check for seasoning, and set aside. Remove the eggs, the milk and the butter from the fridge. Separate the yolks from the egg whites. Butter a large, deep 36x28cm / 14x11in baking pan (pic. 8) or a similar in volume, large baking pan.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, for 2 minutes less than the package instructions.

Drain and transfer to the baking pan, keeping a handful (or two) of pasta aside (pic. 9), for the top layer (this is optional but we recommend it). Add the egg whites, the butter and the cheese (pic. 10) to the pasta and mix. Spread the pasta evenly in the pan. Preheat the oven at 170C/340F (in convection oven - fan assisted baking).

Layer the meat sauce on top of the pasta (pic. 11) and spread evenly (pic. 12).

Make the béchamel sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium sized pot (or a deep saucepan), over medium heat (pic. 13). Add the flour (pic. 14), whisking continuously.

You will make a thick paste (pic. 15). Slowly add the milk (pic. 16), little by little, whisking constantly until smooth. Continue whisking slowly and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook for a few minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Remove from heat and add the cheese (pic. 17), the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the egg yolks (pic. 18), while whisking vigorously.

Spread the smal ammount of pasta you kept aside, on top of the meat (pic. 19). Spread the béchamel sauce, evenly, on top (pic. 20). You can also sprinkle a little more cheese or breadcrumbs over the top, but that’s entirely optional (pic. 21).

Bake in the middle rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the oven. Remove, allow it to cool down for at least 30 minutes, cut into pieces and serve.

Kali Oreksi!

Tips:

1. You can make the meat sauce 1-2 days ahead, store it in the fridge and warm it up (or simply bring it to room temperature) before using it in the pastitsio.

2. Feel free to try other types of ground meat as well, like lamb or turkey (or mixes of ground meat).

3. You can try making pastitsio with a variety of pasta and cheeses. Feel free to adjust the flavors according to your liking.

4. If you prepare this meal a day ahead, store in the fridge (covered with film) and reheat in a conventional oven for 25 minutes (at 170C/340F) the next day.

5. You can add more crushed tomatoes (up to twice the proposed quantity here) if you like the meat layer to be saucier.

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Greek New Year's lucky cake (Vasilopita)

littlecookingtips — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 16:41:01 +0000

Photo and text by Mirella Kaloglou and Panos Diotis.

Calories (per serving):

291

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

It’s been very chilly in Athens this December. Usually, the first month of the winter is mild here in southern Greece, with lots of sunshine and nice temperatures, up to 19C/66F. This year though things are different; freezing temperatures and cold winds are the key characteristics of the weather. Most mornings and nights, everything is covered in frost.

This wouldn’t stop us of course from enjoying a walk in nature and the warmth the sun has to offer. Even in winter however, there’s a lot of produce to look forward to. We harvested the last of the olives in the last month and the last of the pomegranates. Now it’s the lemon and orange trees’ turn to offer their gifts. In fact they are so many that we have to pick them almost every day or so. Of course since there are a lot of them, we share them with friends and family and use them in countless recipes.

The recipe we’re posting here is one of them. Scented with orange zest, it’s the cake we bake every holiday season for the New Year’s eve: Vasilopita (Saint Basil’s pie). Every family in Greece celebrates the arrival of the New Year by serving this right after midnight. A few seconds before the clock strikes twelve, it is also the custom to turn the lights off in the house to let go of the old year in darkness, and celebrate the arrival of the new one at twelve by turning the lights back on! At this point everyone wishes “Happy New Year, with lots of Health” to everyone (yes; everyone has to wish “happy new year” to everyone who’s present in the household at the moment). It’s a wonderful tradition and perhaps the most popular one here.

The tradition of cutting the Vasilopita cake is not the only popular one though; there’s a lot more customs, some of which are centuries old: the smashing of the pomegranate, the hanging of the squill bulb (a large onion) on the door and the podariko (the lucky first entrance into the household). Since all of these are quite interesting, and very popular, we’d love to share a few details about them.

First, the smashing of the pomegranate: since ancient times, pomegranates are symbolizing prosperity and fertility, because each fruit contains a lot of seeds. So after midnight, when the New Year has arrived, each household has to “sacrifice” a pomegranate by smashing it right in front of the main entrance of the house. After the “Happy New Year” wishes, all the guests and the family members are stepping out of the house for this custom. It’s a great honor for a family member or a guest to smash the pomegranate, as the one who smashes it, has the “responsibility” to scatter as many seeds as possible in order to bring good fortune for the household.

Hanging a large wild onion (squill bulb) on the front door: this custom is truly thousands of years old. Since Pythagoras, back in the 6th century BC, onions have been hanging on Greek front doors, for good luck, health and prosperity. Why is that? Well, onions have the ability to sprout and rebirth, even though they are uprooted. It’s a symbol of strength and resilience and therefore this custom survived to this day. Of course after the New Year, the onion is removed from the door and it’s placed somewhere inside (usually a warehouse) to keep for good luck.

The podariko: the custom of the First Footer. Right after midnight, the first person to enter the house is supposed to bring good or bad fortune. So usually if a year turns out to be bad, this person will not be selected for the custom again:) If the year turns out to be a good one, this person will become the most popular in for this tradition, and will be selected again and again to perform the First Footer custom. It’s supposed to be all about the positive energy and the generous feelings this person brings into the household. That’s why it’s quite often to select a child to enter the house first, as children are pure, innocent and good hearted. It’s very important to enter the house with the right foot first. The right side is supposed to be the blessed side. So everyone shouts “me to deksi!” (Meaning with the right one) to remind the person performing the custom that he must not forget to enter with the right foot.

However, the custom that everyone is waiting for with excitement, is the cutting of the Vasilopita cake, which is a Lucky New Year’s cake. Why is it called lucky? Because there’s a coin hidden inside it. Whoever gets the coin in their slice, is the person receiving the best luck for the New Year. There’s a ritual in cutting the cake:) The eldest member of the family or the host of the New Year’s Eve party is cutting the cake and serving the slices. First, he makes the sign of the cross on top of the cake. Then, there are a number of slices that are reserved. These may vary, according to local customs or family tradition.

Usually, the first slice is cut for Jesus, the next one for the household and the next one for Saint Basil. Some people also cut a slice for Virgin Mary or the Poor. These slices are reserved but not thrown away. They are simply eaten last, by family members the next days. The next slices are all cut and distributed among the family members first and then the rest of the guests. Whoever gets the coin in his or her slice, is the person who receives the best of luck for the New Year. It’s not uncommon to give money are a gift to this person as well. If the coin is inside one of the first, reserved slices though, the luck is supposed to be equally divided among the people present. Isn’t that a lot of fun?

The pie is named “Vasilopita” after Saint Basil of Caesarea. The Greek “Santa Claus” is Saint Basil, called Agios Vasilis. Saint Basil was a very generous bishop and a great philanthropist who lived in Minor Asia (modern day Turkey). He was a thin, kind hearted man, who helped everyone in need, especially the poor. St. Basil was very compassionate and also established the first orphanage ever recorded in history. Since he was so generous, he is associated with joy and happiness, that’s why a blessed New Year is related to his story and the New Year’s lucky cake is named after him.

The Vasilopita lucky cake has many different versions. The oldest one is a sweet bread, scented with various spices, like anise. The most common one nowadays, is a spongy, fluffy cake, usually scented with orange or lemon zest. Some people also like to add liquor, like brandy or bitter almond liqueur (amaretto). Others add mahleb or Chios mastic for extra flavor. There are versions with ground almonds or ground walnuts as well. The topping may be flaked almonds, powdered sugar or a classic glaze.

The recipe we are sharing here is Panos’ mom Eleni (Helen), which is very old and is basically a wonderful orange flavored fluffy cake, topped with lots and lots of powdered sugar. The photo with the old notepad has the actual hand writing of his mom back from when she was in her teens. It’s a fool proof recipe which we’re using ourselves to this day and has never failed us. It makes for an aromatic large cake, to serve up to 20 people.

The best part of this cake is that’s also great as a snack in the next days. We love to serve this with coffee or tea. Also try to spread some Nutella on a slice; it’s a combination made in heaven!

So let’s see how to make this Greek New Year’s Lucky Cake: Vasilopita! Wishing you all a happy, prosperous, healthy and inspiring New Year!

Ingredients:

- 500g / 17.6oz / 1.1lb (4 cups) all purpose flour, sifted
- 250g / 9oz (2 sticks and 1/4) butter, cut in cubes and softened (room temperature)
- 450g / 15.8oz / 1lb (2 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
- 6 medium sized eggs, yolks separated from whites, in room temperature
- 9g / 0.3oz (3 teaspoons) baking powder
- 5g / 0.17oz (2 teaspoons) orange zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 250ml (1 cup) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar, for dusting the cake

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Preparation:

Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 25x6cm/10x2.5in spring form pan.

Divide the eggs into yolks and whites (pic. 1). In a large bowl, beat the butter and the sugar (pic.2) for 8-10 minutes, using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, on medium-high speed.

You may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl at least once, to make sure everything is being well mixed (pic.3). Once creamy and fluffy (pic. 4), the butter mix is ready.

Add the zest and the orange juice (pic. 5). Continue mixing for a few seconds to incorporate. While the mixer is on, slowly add the yolks. Allow each yolk to be incorporated before adding the next one (pic. 6).

Once everything is nicely combined (pic. 7) stop and empty the mixture into another large bowl. Clean the original mixer bowl and beaters thoroughly. They are needed again later on. Pat everything dry. In another bowl, mix the flour with the salt and the baking powder (pic. 8).

Add half of the flour mixture into the butter-sugar-eggs mixture (pic. 9). Mix well with a rubber spatula until everything is combined. Add the milk (pic. 10), and again, mix well with the rubber spatula until everything it's incorporated.

Add the rest of the flour (pic. 11) and mix well to combine (pic. 12). Preheat the oven at 170C / 340F (convection oven - fan assisted baking).

Whisk the egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks are formed (pic. 13). Take half of this meringue and add it to the bowl with the cake mixture (pic. 14). Fold into the mixture, but don't overmix. Once incorporated, add the rest of the meringue and again, fold into the mixture.

Empty the bowl into the prepared pan (pic. 15). Take a washed, clean coin and wrap it in aluminum foil (pic. 16).

Place into the mixture (pic. 17).

Bake in the middle oven rack for 1 hour, or more; until baked through. Check if ready by inserting a knife into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's ready.

Top the cake by sprinkling lots of powdered sugar.

Tips:

1. Use a small grater and take off only the rind of the orange's skin. Be careful not to take the white pith as well, as it is bitter.
2. Remove the butter from the fridge at least a couple of hours before using it. This will allow it to soften. Cutting it into cubes helps as well.
3. One of the most important tips for meringue: The bowl you will use to beat the egg whites must be very clean. To achieve this, wipe it with a paper towel dipped in vinegar, to eliminate any fat residue.
4. Depending on the oven (how even the temperature is inside it) some people may get domed cakes. To avoid a domed cake you can also try to bake at a slightly lower temperature, 160C/325F. It will take a bit more to bake, but you will reduce the risk for crackings and a dome in the middle of the cake. Tapping the batter on the counter to release trapped bubbles before baking may also help. If you still get a dome in the middle of your cake, don't worry! Use a serrated knife and cut it off, horizontally. Then cover the top with lots of icing sugar (or your preferred frosting) :)

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Oven Baked Meatballs with Roasted Potatoes

littlecookingtips — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 09:17:23 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

1058

Servings:

Preparation Time:

Cooking Time:

What a great season to get inspiration from! The fall is here, with all its beautiful colors. We are so glad that we’ll get to taste all the wonderful vegetables of the season, once again. An abundance of pumpkins and squash, carrots and cabbage, potatoes and beets, cauliflower and broccoli, lettuce and young onions. Fresh herbs like fennel and dill are back on the table, our pots and pans adding flavor and color.

What a joy it is going for a walk in the fall. Exploring new places in the countryside is truly magical during this season. The explosion of colors in parks, gardens and groves is a feast for the senses. It regenerates and makes one happier, putting a smile on one’s face.

Of course we couldn’t miss visiting again our family’s garden in Evia (also known as Euboea) island, to experience this wondrous transformation. Getting back in touch with our true roots; touching the soil and smelling the rain in the ground creates a feeling we wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

It was so wonderful to see the new plants in the garden. To see the new fruits ripening on the tree branches. To see the olives, ready to be harvested for the winter.

As the nature is getting ready for the new winter season, it was time for us as well, to get back to blogging, after a few months’ absence. We missed all of you out there, and we missed sharing our passion for real, homemade cooking.

One of the first recipes we’d love to show you is a rustic, delicious and easy Greek food which is perfect for any Sunday meal with your family. During the last season, we published a traditional recipe for Greek meatballs (keftedes or keftedakia), which are fried and usually served with French fries or Greek baked potatoes, a Horiatiki Greek salad and/or Tzatziki on the side. As it turned out, this worked really well for so many of our readers and soon became one of our most popular ground beef recipes in the blog.

Taking this into account, we felt that we had to share another version of a Greek meatball recipe (keftedes), only this time they are baked in the oven with potatoes. The inspiration for the recipe came from a real life experience, a couple of winters ago. We have always loved the flavor and aroma of fenugreek.

Fenugreek is a plant whose leaves and seeds are often encountered in the ingredients list of an Indian recipe. It’s also used to flavor cured meats like pasturma. Even though it contains the term “-greek” in its name, we didn’t find fenugreek in modern Greek recipes or meals our mothers cooked while we were growing up. Nor was it used in foods prepared in restaurants.

Well, a couple of winters ago, Panos’ yiayia (grandma) Katina while sitting by the fireplace was sharing her memories of old recipes and ingredients she used to cook with, back in the 50s, when she was in her teens. Between others, she mentioned “tsimeni”, a word we once heard before. She started to describe how this spice was used in old recipes which she cooked back in the day and how it is still used today in…pasturma!

Since we love pasturma, we looked up “tsimeni” as soon as we heard that. Apparently, tsimeni was a word for a paste whose main ingredient is fenugreek, also called trigonella in Greek (or moshositaro, meaning fragrant wheat!). Looking more into trigonella, we discovered that it was a plant used in Southeastern Europe for millennia. So there was something Greek in fenugreek after all!

Unfortunately, perhaps because of its strong flavor and aroma, it was abandoned in the last decades, to the point that most Greeks (ourselves included) had no idea what it was. So, we had to experiment and try fenugreek in many Greek recipes. The end result was a variety of delicious dishes and marinades. For instance, try to add some fenugreek in a lemony chicken marinade, along with dry oregano. You’ll be surprised by the delicious result.

Back to our homemade meatballs now; as mentioned, we wanted to share another easy meatball recipe (keftedes). One of our most successful uses of fenugreek is in keftedes. Just like with biftekia (Greek burgers) which are also baked in the oven, these Greek meatballs are a great idea for a Sunday lunch. This is a food that’s even better when shared with your family and friends.

Our memories are filled with our parents hosting a Sunday lunch, with our cousins, aunts and uncles, under a gorgeous sun. Even on the coldest days of the fall, we are blessed with lots of sunshine here in Greece; and sharing a table with mezedes (appetizers), oven baked meatballs (or biftekia burgers) and good wine with your family, is truly warming for the soul. You probably have similar memories as well, having experienced magical moments like that.

In this recipe, we baked the meatballs on a bed of potatoes. Those golden wedges are slowly roasted in olive oil, enhanced with the citrus flavor of the coriander, the spicy taste of the cumin and the mild ginger-like taste of the turmeric. If you’re reading this blog often, you are already familiar with our obsession for turmeric. Turmeric adds a wonderful color and enhances the taste of every food it's added to. If you don’t have any turmeric, you can also add a little mustard instead, for a different, but equally delicious result.

The potatoes in this recipe are roasted until tender and soft in the inside and crispy on the outside. And their flavor is truly unique. Even if you don’t want to have meat, you can try and just bake the potatoes of this recipe. You can serve them then with feta and/or tzatziki, for a delicious vegetarian meal.

Keftedes and potatoes are best served with a fresh salad on the side. We often serve this dish with a simple lettuce and vinaigrette salad, or coleslaw. It’s also great with a horiatiki Greek salad and tzatziki.

If you want to serve something totally different and delicious, perhaps for Thanksgiving, this recipe is something you should probably look into; served with fragrant mashed carrots on the side, this is maybe one of the most delightful choices.

Full of aroma, filling and rustic, these oven baked meatballs are among the best comfort foods you can try. Plus they’re very versatile, since you can add or substitute the spices according to your liking, and create countless variations of your own. The possibilities are endless.

Another advantage of this recipe is that it’s a great make ahead recipe. You can easily prepare it a day before, allow it to cool to room temperature and then cover the pan with film and store it in the fridge. The next day, you simply remove the film, pop it in the oven for 15 minutes in 200C/390F and you’re ready to serve! Do not reheat in microwaves though; baked potatoes are tastier (and still crunchy on the outside) if you reheat them in a conventional oven.

So let’s see how to make these beautiful oven baked meatballs!

Ingredients:

For the meatballs(keftedes):
- 500gr / 17.oz / 1lb ground beef*
- 100gr/3.5oz (2 slices) bread, preferably stale
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (you can add a spicy Dijon if you prefer)
- 1.5-2 teaspoons ground fenugreek**
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt, pepper

*You can also use ground turkey for a leaner version or ground lamb for stronger flavor
**If you can't find fenugreek anywhere then try fennel (in any form, a small minced piece of the bulb, toasted seeds, fresh chopped fronds) for a different but equally interesting result

For the potatoes:
- 1kg / 2.2lb medium sized potatoes (3-4 potatoes depending on their size), peeled
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric*
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 375ml (3/4 cup) olive oil
- salt

*If you don't have turmeric, you can also use 1tablespoon of mustard

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Preparation:

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise (pic. 1), and do the same with the two halves (pic. 2). Then cut them horizontally to form wedges (pic. 3).

Put the potatoes in a baking pan and add the olive oil (pic. 4) and the spices (turmeric, coriander, cumin, pepper, salt). Mix well/toss with your hands to coat the potatoes with the oil and the spices (pic. 5). Set aside.

Remove the crust from the bread slices and cut into chunks (pic. 6). Dense, stale bread is far better for this step. Add the bread chunks into a food processor and pulse to create breadcrumbs (pic. 7). Sometimes (depending on the bread), you may need to shake the food processor a bit, to get the process started.

At this point preheat the oven at 200 degrees Celsius/390 Fahrenheit. If using convection oven (fan baking) set at 180 degrees C / 370 F.

Add the breadcrumbs, the ground beef, the egg, the olive oil, the mustard and the fenugreek in a large bowl (pic. 8). Season with salt and pepper. Knead, using your hands, for 2-3 minutes. When everything is well incorporated, shape large meatballs with your palms (pic. 9). They don't have to be perfect, don't worry. This is a classic rustic recipe, where imperfections are perfect! :)

Arrange the meatballs on top of the potatoes and cover the pan with foil (be thorough).
Bake in the middle oven rack for 1 hour.

Then remove the foil, and keep baking for another 30 minutes (depending on how golden or brown you like the potatoes).

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. Serve with a Horiatiki Greek salad and/or Tzatziki and/or a Greek beetroot spread (pantzarosalata)
2. Feel free to try other types of ground meat as well, like lamb or turkey (or mixes of ground meat). This recipe is especially good if you’re looking to make turkey meatballs.
3. If you cook for more than four, make sure to double (or triple) the ingredients, as this recipe is just for four portions.
4. If you prepare this meal a day ahead, store in the fridge (covered with film) and reheat in a conventional oven for 15 minutes (at 200C/390F) the next day.

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Method:

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Low Cost

Spicy

Easy cheesy baked leeks in Bechamel sauce: the meatless Monday recipe that will make you forget about meat!

littlecookingtips — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 15:35:21 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou

Calories (per serving):

756

Servings:

serves 6

Cooking Time:

Like we mentioned in our last post, the winter finally came to Greece. This finally happened just before the arrival of 2016 (Happy New Year to all of you guys!). You see, in Christmas day, we had lots of sun and high temperatures, just like in autumn, which was rather annoying! So, on the New Year's Eve, not only this had changed, but we did get some snow as well! It was so beautiful, waking up in the New Year and seeing this white blanket of snow that had fallen, right outside the windows. Snowing is rare in Athens; it only occurs in the north of the city maybe once or twice per year and only lasts for a couple of days each time. So you can imagine how happy we both were!

As you may have already guessed, yes, we went to Evia as well. We spent Christmas there, and had the opportunity to enjoy all the seasonal produce. We enjoyed some lettuce, young onions, arugula, endives, dill, parsley, fennel, leeks, beets, broccoli, cabbage, oranges, lemons, clementines and many more, fresh, organic treasures. The earth can give back so much if you take the time and respect it.

Since we were there, we had the chance to visit one of our favorite mountain villages of the island; Steni. This is where those photos in the post were taken. Also known as Steni Dirfyos, this is a beautiful place in the slopes of mount Dirfi. The summit (1743m/5718ft) is close to the village, making it the ideal base for hiking and climbing. In the weekends, when there's more people visiting, you can see yayades (grandmas) selling some wonderful local products in the village, like pine and wildflower honey, traditional pasta, dry herbs, herbal tea and mushrooms. We've tried all of those and all are truly amazing. Pure, excellent quality stuff.

The place is also known for its taverns and grills, serving pit roasted lamb and pork and other grilled delicacies. Imagine having enjoyed the small mountain town charm, being misty and cold outside and you're sitting by a tavern's fireplace, listening to the cracking of the burning logs, while having some pork steaks, tzatziki, feta, fresh French fries and olive oil-oregano grilled bread with a good Greek red wine. It doesn't get any better than that, does it? It's also amazing in the summer, when the place is naturally cool, and you can enjoy those treats under the sycamores. We're daydreaming once again, aren't we?

Having mentioned the Greek wine, this period we also discovered many new Greek labels that are truly amazing. 'Tis (was) the season, after all, right?:) You need to check out the reds Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro, and the whites Assyrtiko, Moschofilero, Savatiano and Roditis. We can start writing some articles and propose a few of our favorite Greek labels in the future if you like though. It's something we're still thinking about; let us know if you're interested in the comments below.

As you imagined, we ate lots and lots of food in the Holiday season, had lots of good wine, and -of course- enjoyed MANY kourabiedes and melomakarona. We also baked Panos' mom old family recipe for vasilopita (this will be our post for the Holidays next year) which was amazing! It makes for a fluffy, moist cake, with a unique vanilla-orange scent. Suffice to say, we devoured the whole thing within 3 to 4 days! So yep. We gained some extra pounds and are now struggling to lose some of them (and failing miserably!) :)

One of the things we brought back from Evia, were the fresh leeks. We love leeks ourselves and we already had a recipe on the blog, which was shared when we first started so naturally, most of you guys missed it. It was "hidden" as an old post, popping out here and there (in the "See also" section and embarrassing us with its awful photo) and we've always wanted to rewrite that one, to do it some justice.

So here it is (again): leeks au gratin! What is this dish about? It's a recipe for leeks in a creamy sauce, a vegetarian leek casserole we LOVE to bake during the fall and winter! If you're looking for a recipe for baked leeks with cream or simply want some cheesy baked leeks, then look no more. You have arrived at your destination:) We honestly cannot describe how amazing these creamy leeks are.

Here's what we do; we cut and wash the leeks thoroughly. We will mostly use the white part in this recipe. You can wash and freeze the green part for stocks or other recipes requiring it. Using the white part of 4-5 large leeks, we slice them in half lengthwise and then vertically in half-moons, and then put them in a large bowl of water to wash. We finally rinse them in a colander and they're ready to use. Here's a video showing you how to clean and cut leeks in case you've never tried it before.

So, after preparing them, we cook them in olive oil until soft, add some wine, and after most of the juices have evaporated, we transfer them to a casserole dish, mix them with dill, cheese and béchamel sauce, top them with some more cheese and bake them. The result is a delicious leeks and cheese recipe you will use again and again. It's one of our favorite recipes for baked leeks with cheese, and everyone is elated when we bring it to family gatherings and dinners with friends. Of course, that being the case, every time someone asked for the recipe, so eventually we wrote it down and shared it in our newborn blog back in 2012.

We honestly cannot stress how yummy these easy, cheesy leeks are. The cheese we used was Dubliner. We think that it's the best choice for this dish. Other suitable choices would be a combination of sweet graviera (like graviera from Naxos) for the leeks, with some grated kefalotyri on top, for the crust. If you can't get any of those, you can also use some sharp cheddar with the leeks and a little grated parmesan for the crust.

Keep in mind, that even though they're rich and delicious, baked leeks in cream sauce are also vegetarian. This makes it a perfect choice for Meatless Mondays or if you want to lay off the meat for a while. You won't miss it all. So let's see how to cook some yummy, creamy leeks!

Ingredients:

- 1kg/17oz/2lb cleaned leeks (4-5 leeks), mostly white part, cut into half-moon slices (approx. 1cm/0.5in thick)*
- 55-65gr/2-2.3oz (about 1 cup) dill, finely chopped
- 125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium sized eggs, beaten
- 300gr/10.5oz Dubliner cheese, grated **
- 250ml (1 cup) white wine
- salt and pepper

*4-5 uncleansed whole leeks weigh almost twice as much when you buy them, they'll be about 2kb/4lb
**You can also use graviera or sharp cheddar for the leeks

For the creamy topping (Béchamel sauce):

- 75gr/2.6oz (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon or 8 tablespoons in total) all-purpose flour
- 100gr butter/3.5oz (7 tablespoons) butter
- 750ml (3 cups) milk, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, powdered
- 55-80gr/2-2.8oz Dubliner cheese, grated ( for the crust) ***

***You can also use kefalotyri or parmesan

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Preparation

Use mostly the white part of the leeks. Wash them thoroughly; slice them in half lengthwise and then vertically in half-moons (pic. 1) and place them in a large bowl of water (pic.2). Stir. The dirt will sit on the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the chopped leeks with your hands and place them in a colander (pic.3 , don’t empty the bowl into the colander, you don’t want to put the dirt on the leeks again). Rinse them thoroughly. The leeks are now ready for the recipe! Here's a video showing you exactly how to clean and cut the leeks in case you've never tried it before.
Put the olive oil in a large skillet (don't use nonstick)/saucepan, and place it over medium to high heat. When hot, add the leeks (pic. 4) and sauté for 10 minutes until soft.

Pour the wine (pic. 5) and increase the heat. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until most of the wine is evaporated, and the final result is relatively drier. Empty the saucepan into a casserole dish/baking pan (pic. 6)

Add the dill (pic. 7). Stir well and leave it aside for 4-5 minutes to cool down. Keep the saucepan aside; you’ll use it for the Béchamel as well. Preheat your oven at 180C/350F. Add the eggs (pic. 8), stir and add salt and pepper. Be careful adding the salt, because of the salty cheese that’ll be added.

Add the cheese (pic. 9) and mix. Leave it aside to prepare the cheesy Béchamel sauce. Add the butter (pic 10) in the saucepan and place over medium heat

Once melted, add the flour (pic. 11). Whisk continuously until you get a thick result (a paste). Slowly start adding the milk (pic. 12) and continue whisking.

When all the milk has been added, remove from heat. You’ll get a creamy, smooth sauce (pic. 13). Add the nutmeg powder and give it a final stir. Add the sauce into the casserole/baking dish on top of the leeks mixture (pic. 14).

Spread evenly on the surface, and sprinkle with the cheese (pic. 15). Place in the middle oven rack, and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Kali oreksi!

Tips:

1. Use the white part of the leeks, the green part is a little bitter. You can wash and freeze the green part for other recipes.

2. If you want a very crispy top, you must use finely grated cheese and add a few breadcrumbs as well.

3. If you can’t find Dubliner you can use a combination of graviera (for the leeks), and grated kefalotyri on top (for the crust). If you can't get any of those, you can also use sharp cheddar (for the leeks) and a little grated parmesan (for the crust).

4. You can also use a sweeter white wine or a rosé wine in this recipe.

Meal:

Method:

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Special Characteristics:

Healthy

Low Calories/Diet

Vegetarian

Greek Christmas Butter Cookies: Kourabiedes

littlecookingtips — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 18:36:03 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou.

Calories (per serving):

206

Servings:

12+ slices/pieces

Preparation Time:

30 minutes

Cooking Time:

20 minutes

Up until the last couple of weeks the weather was very kind to us here in Greece; lots of sunshine and warm temperatures, allowed for long walks and enjoying the scenery.

If the leaves hadn’t already fallen off the trees, one may had the impression it was spring and not autumn! This changed a few days ago and it seems now that the winter is finally here. The first snow has fallen up in the mountains, especially in the north, helping us to get into a festive mood, which is after all, appropriate for Christmas and the New Year celebration!

Of course, the winter was already here, at least according to the calendar, providing us with lots of yummy fruits and veggies. We especially enjoyed the quinces, made quince spoon sweet (you can read more about spoon sweets here) and cooked a wonderful ancient Greek recipe with roasted pork and quinces, which Panos learned from his grandfather (who also learned it from his own grandfather before). It’s a very old recipe and of course we’ll share it in the blog at some point).

Fresh carrots are also amazing this time of year, and are very versatile. We used them in soups (especially in the fasolada bean soup), in coleslaw, made carrot cakes, and so on and so forth:)

Another delicious sweet fruit you can enjoy this time of year is the persimmon. If you haven’t tried persimmons before, you’re missing out. They usually have a mild aroma and are very juicy and sweet. They’re packed with vitamins and are full of antioxidants. You should’ve seen us devouring those like kids eating candy, all smiling and making a mess.

Do you remember the green oranges back in the summer (in this post)? Check them out in their photo we are sharing now! Ripe and sweet, this year’s oranges are perhaps the best we had for a long time. And for some strange reason the trees in Evia were very generous, we got much more than we could eat and then turned some into jams, preserves etc. So we started sharing them with friends, like an Orange Santa, passing by on a weekly basis.

Speaking of Santa, we’re so excited that the Christmas season is here! Greek Christmas food is delicious and full of memories of times passed. Just like everywhere around the world, wherever people celebrate this season, the food this time is special, and it's shared among family and friends. It’s this loving setting that sears these memories in our hearts and makes them so unique.

The main ingredient of the season here, is pork. Back in the day people didn’t consume much meat, but they raised a pig which was slaughtered around Christmas and then shared in a large table with family and friends. Some of the parts were also used in sausages, while others were put in salt or were smoked, in order to preserve some of the meat for the next weeks (or months). By the way, if you’ve never tried Greek sausages, called Horiatiko Loukaniko, you should try them at least once!

Another popular recipe this time of year is chicken avgolemono (egg-lemon) soup. It’s a creamy delicious soup, usually including starchy rice, which is served with lots of fresh ground pepper and artisan old-school crusty bread. Even as we type those lines and remember all about it, we’re drooling all over the keyboard :)

A big part of the Greek Christmas tradition, is of course enjoying the local sweet treats: Melomakarona, kourabiedes and diples. Melomakarona and kourabiedes are the most popular ones, and if you’re in Greece around Christmas you’re bound to fall in love with them. You will find them in every household, any pastry shop, even in super markets and grocery stores. When you’re a guest, you know you’ll be treated a melomakarono (singular for melomakarona) or a kourabies (singular for kourabiedes). And even though you most certainly will have tasted many of them already, you will again devour another one with excitement :)

Melomakarona and kourabiedes are traditionally homemade. When we were kids ourselves, singing carols, many neighbors were giving us kourabiedes or melomakarona as a holiday treat. Back at home of course, we also had our own families’ versions.

They’re pronounced “koo-ra-bee-ye-thes”, and yes, it’s not that easy for a non-Greek speaking person to pronounce the word! But, if you only say “kourab-yeh” to any Greek, he will immediately understand what you’re asking for, and will give you the proper cookie. With a big smile on his/her face.

Those traditional, shortbread butter cookies include almonds, lots of powdered sugar, vanilla and usually rosewater or another flower water.
Edible rosewater (or flower water), adds an amazing scent to these cookies. But we know it may be difficult to find it in some places (it’s available online though). If you do buy it, you'll be able to make the traditional kourabiedes with their exceptional and unique aroma. If you’re thinking that rosewater is something you’ll buy once and then it’ll stay on your pantry gathering dust, that’s not the case.

There are many recipes which call for rosewater, plus you can try it in cookies, cakes and other desserts you're already baking and create something different and delicious! Try substituting vanilla with flower water in some recipes and you’ll get the idea:)
People who may not like the aroma of rosewater or flower water may also try adding some bitter almond liqueur (Amaretto) which also makes for wonderful kourabiedes.

The main ingredient for kourabiedes is of course, butter. You want to use the best quality butter you can afford, for this recipe. It will define the texture and the taste of the cookies. The traditional way to make kourabiedes is with sheep’s or goat’s butter. The flavor is a bit intense for any non-Greek though, plus it’s a bit hard to find such butter abroad. That’s why we used regular cow’s butter in this recipe. Feel free to use any type of butter you prefer, or even a mix of butters (like half sheep’s butter and half cow’s butter). If you can get the famous –in Greece- Corfu butter give it a try; it’s a pure, excellent quality butter.

Regarding the shape of those cookies, some people may be confused, due to their variety. There are 3 main shapes for kourabiedes: thick round cookies, crescents and balls. We think the easiest and nicest are the thick round cookies, as their shape helps us stacking them up in layers. This is the way they’re traditionally served.
As for the size of the cookies, they may be large (about 40gr/1.5oz of dough per cookie), or smaller, bite-sized. The ones sold in pastry shops are usually bite-sized, and the homemade ones are usually larger.

So go ahead and give them a try! You won’t regret baking those; your home will be filled with the aroma of the butter and the rosewater, and you’ll enjoy dusting them with lots and lots of icing sugar. They’re both pretty and delicious! So follow the recipe below and make some festive Greek cookies!

Ingredients:

- 500g / 17.5oz / 1.1 lb (4 cups) all purpose flour
- 250g / 9oz butter (2 sticks and 1/4), softened (room temperature, see preparation)
- 150g / 5.5oz (1 1/4 cups) powdered sugar, and more for dusting the cookies
- 150g / 5.5oz (about 1 cup) almonds, unsalted and toasted
- 1 egg yolk (from a large egg)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla essence
- edible rosewater or other flower water

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Preparation:

Remove the butter from the fridge at least a couple of hours before using it. This will allow it to soften. Cutting it into pieces also helps.

If using raw almonds, place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet/pan and bake them for 10-15 minutes at 180C/350F (in preheated oven) (pic. 1). Grind the toasted almonds into coarse pieces, using a food processor. Do not grind them completely into powder.

Making the cookies

In a large bowl, beat the butter (pic.2) for 8-10 minutes, using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed (until soft and fluffy, pic.3).

Add the powdered sugar (pic.4) and beat for 10 more minutes until you get a "whipped cream" -like result (pic. 5).

Add baking powder and vanilla (pic. 6) and mix with a rubber spatula. Add the egg yolk (pic. 7) and mix until it's incorporated.

Add 1 tablespoon of rosewater or flower water and mix (pic. 8). Start adding the flour (pic. 9), a couple of tablespoons at a time. Mix with the spatula each time you add some.

When you've added half of the flour, you'll get a fluffy, almost rubbery dough (pic. 10).
At this point add all the remaining flour, wear single-use gloves and start incorporating the flour into the dough, with your hands (pic. 11). Do not overmix. Once the flour is incorporated,stop.
Important: USE gloves in the recipe. It will help insulating the warmth of your hands (to avoid melting the butter while handling the dough).

Add the ground almonds (pic. 12) and fold them into the dough. Shape the cookies (pic. 13). If using 40gr/1.5oz of dough per cookie, you'll make about 25 cookies.

Place the cookies in a lined baking dish/pan (pic. 14) and bake for 15-18 minutes in the middle oven rack (use the oven fan, in preheated oven).
When ready, remove from the oven, let them cool for 2-3 minutes, and then place them on a wire rack to cool completely out (pic. 15).

When cool, spray them with rosewater or flower water (pic. 16) and then dust them with powdered sugar (pic. 17), using a strainer. Be generous with both rosewater and sugar.

Your yummy treats are ready, place them in cookie box or in a cake stand, in layers (and place a lid on).

Kala Christougenna and Kali Chronia!

Tips:

1. You can use sheep, goat or cow butter or mixed butters. In any case, choose high quality butter for this recipe.
2. You can shape the kourabiedes in thick round cookies (like we did here), crescents or balls.
3. Leave a little space between the cookies before you bake them, as they will expand a little during baking.
4. If you want to make more cookies, feel free to double the ingredients above. The result is exactly the same.
5. If you don’t like rosewater or flower water (or can’t find any), add some vanilla powder in the icing sugar when you dust the cookies at the end of the recipe. And add a little almond liqueur (Amaretto) in the dough.
6. Always wear single-use gloves when you handle the dough and shape the cookies, to insulate the heat from your hands.

Meal:

Method:

Cuisine:

Season:

Main Ingredients:

Easy homemade cinnamon cookies

littlecookingtips — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 17:25:08 +0000

Photo and text by Panos Diotis and Mirella Kaloglou

Calories (per serving):

Servings:

12+ slices/pieces

Cooking Time: