Country style Makaronopita with home made phyllo

This is another version of the traditional Macaroni pie and this time we have it with the home made phyllo as it normally should be

Galatopita - Traditional milk pie with phyllo pastry

Another traditional sweet pie out of many you can enjoy in Greece. Sometimes the foreigners get confused with these type of desserts because, it is true, they are similar but each one has their own characteristic. Another delicious recipe, this time with no syrup involved (for a change!) and not difficult to put together. There are, also, versions of "galatopita" like the one with no phyllo or the one with syrup

Portokalopita - Orange pie with phyllo pastry

The orange pie is a dessert that can vary from region to region but with no huge differences really. What makes this one a bit more special - in my opinion - is the preparation regarding the phyllo sheets. It makes the recipe fluffier and crunchier at the same time and that gives a special texture

Fritters with onion and potato

Yes! One more type of fritters, one more type of meze for your drinks. The onions get a nice sweet taste and the result is delicious

Sweet phyllo pastry rolls filled with coconut

A tasty and easy to make dessert with classic ingredients

Rabbit (or hare) with red garlic dip

This is a traditional recipe and the specific version is coming from Sparta (yes, the famous one with the king Leonidas and his 300 brave soldiers...). The recipe, originally, demands for hare but when I first cooked it I could not find any so the rabbit was an excellent substitue. Rabbit, wild rabbit or hare cooked in this way is a recipe you can also find in other regions of Greece but here the difference is the way the garlic dip is prepared. If you decide to try this recipe (it would be a pitty if not!) you have to follow all the steps thoroughly and especially those regarding the garlic dip. I knew about this dish for years and years but never had the chance to find the recipe until I came across through a great Greek food blog called "Pandespani" (more direct links to it bellow the photo). I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as we did!!

Pot chickpeas with ground meat

Another traditional way of having dried legumes, especially for those who are not big fans of pulses. The combination with ground meat is very interesting and very tasty

Fresh sardines in the pan

Sardines are not only meant to become tinned! They are very popular in Greece and we cook them in different ways. Fried, in the oven, BBQed and even steamed. It is a very common fish in Greek waters and very tasty and nutritious as well. This recipe here is very easy and quick and you can enjoy it together with a glass of chilled wine or ouzo

Creamy Spinach pie

Another version of the classic "spanakopita" where the béchamel sauce makes it fluffy like a souflé

Greek Lemon Pie with phyllo

Such an easy and fast dessert it is a pity not to try it out this Summer! Again, as many of the Greek sweets and desserts, it is one with syrup but not as heavy as it might sounds

Winter time moussakas with meat and cauliflower

A different version of the famous Greek dish but it doesn't lack in taste or presentation at all! An old version of the classic recipe coming from the Greeks of Asia Minor where instead of aubergines and potatoes they used cauliflower

Fresh sardines in the oven with potatoes

The sardine is one of the most popular Summer fish in Greece and very versatile since it can be cooked in many different ways. Very tasty and very healthy fish this one and if you have the chance to find it don't ignore it!

Ingredients (for 6 people):
8 medium size potatoes, suitable for oven
1Kg fresh sardines (or fresh anchovies)
1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard
2 lemons, the juice
1 tsp of oregano
3/4 tea-cup of olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
salt
pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges. Place them in an oven pan in such a way not to leave any empty space.
Scatter the garlic, sprinkle with the oregano, pour over the lemon juice, the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, add the mustard and toss all the ingredients with your hands to get well coated.

Add in the pan a glass full of water, put in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until the potatoes get tender.

In the meantime clean the fish- cutting off the heads and pulling out the guts. Lightly scrape to discard the scales. If the idea puts you off you could ask your fishmonger to clean the fish for you but not to cut them into fillets.

Wash the fish well under running water and let it drain in a colander. Sprinkle generously with salt and keep in the fridge until the potatoes are ready.

When piercing with a fork the potatoes should feel tender, then arrange the sardines on top of them in a layer and put back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes.

Serve immediately together with the tasty sauce from the pan.

Pork sliced fillet with mustard and yoghurt

This is one of those easy recipes that saves time but they are full of taste! Enjoy them with some roast seasonal vegetables or potatoes

Vyssinada soft drink

It is the drink we make out of the juices of the sour cherries - as I was telling you about in the relative recipe. It is a non alcoholic drink, tasty and very pleasant for the hot Summer days

Watermelon Spoon Sweet

In Greece when it comes to spoon sweets (and other things in Greek cuisine) we almost don't waste anything!- anything that has even the slightest possibility to become a nice preserve gets into a large saucepan! The watermelon rind (because that's the part we use for this spoon sweet) if it's made properly can be so tasty and crunchy and aromatic! It's one of those spoon sweets that needs the pickling lime I was telling you about in the relative article, but it is not easy to find it nowadays so better to skip that step instead by using the quick lime. It will not be as crunchy but it won't lose anything in taste

Sour cherries spoon sweet

The sour cherries is another very common spoon sweet in Greece. It needs some patience to prepare it- mainly because of the pitting... It is related to the wild cherries but their difference is that the sour ones are more acidic so they are mainly suitable for cooking. A delicacy we use to prepare out of the sour cherries is the "Vyssinada" soft drink ("vyssino" is the Greek word for sour cherries). It's nothing more than the juices out of the cherries and then by a certain procedure, it becomes a thick dark red syrup, or using some of the syrup the spoon sweet has and then dilluting it into cold water. A nice, cool and healthy drink for the hot Summer days

Apricots Spoon Sweet

The aromatic and tasty apricots can be a special Summer spoon sweet. With a few exceptions the procedure of the spoon sweets is the same for all the fruits. Some they need more sugar than others or some extra pectine etc The main thing is that you need a good quality of fruits and in this case ripe but firm apricots. The apricot spoon sweet is one of those that in the past they used to soak them in pickling lime but the version I give you today is the classic one without any

Strawberries Spoon Sweet

After that huge article about the Greek "Spoon Sweets" it's time to give you some of the nicest recipes related to them. Lets start with the tasty strawberries and soon you'll get more of that

Beef with paprika and yoghurt

A tasty and lightly spiced beef recipe from up North Greece. You can substitute with veal or pork (thigh or shoulder)

Baby eggplants Spoon Sweet

When you were reading the relative article probably you got surprised when I mentioned that we use even vegetables to make Spoon Sweets!!! I don't blame you because it does sound unusual- still though we do use some vegetables and the taste is very interesting. Here we have the baby eggplant as the prime material for this spoon sweet and believe me it is worth the effort

Pork and chickpeas in tomato sauce flavoured with orange

Another traditional Winter time recipe with minor changes depending on the region it comes from

Spicy octopus braised with tomatoes

Another tasty dish with octopus, this time with a kick!