Vassilopita (Greek New Year's Cake) flavoured with mahleb

One more recipe for this special (only once a year made) traditional cake! This version includes a spice with such a distinctive aroma and taste and it's not other than the mahleb ("mahlepi" in Greek). Only the seed kernels are used and because of it's strong aroma only a very small quantity is enough to enrich various breads and cakes. *** For more tasty ideas for a Vassilopita cake check out the relative category

Greek cheesecake with melomakarona

It can happen, not often though, to have some leftover Christmas melomakarona cookies (the classic version) and not to be sure what to do with them. Leftovers in general are a good thing in my opinion because you can use them to create something totally different to please family and friends. Here is a tasty example of how you could use leftover melomakarona

Cheese pie with onions

A nice traditional pie recipe with a special home made pastry. There are many different versions of onion pie around Greece and this is only an example of this Greek delicacy. Pies were always a staple in the Greek cuisine for ages and ages and still are one of the most popular dishes

Haricot beans soup with lemon, parsley and oregano

A delicious alternative to the traditional Greek Fasolada bean soup. A "must" during the Winter months to enjoy along with plenty of country style bread. If you are used to the classic recipe you will be surprised how tasty and hearty this dish is!

Greek New Year's cake (Vassilopita) flavoured with rosewater and mastic

Another delicious version of the traditional New Year's cake! After the classic recipe of last year's and the one with walnuts, today we have the elegant taste and aroma of rosewater and mastic added in which will give a special twist to the cake. Surely, it will not leave your family and guests indifferent!

Baked pork fillet with walnut crust and caramelised shallots

A rather unusual, more modern, Greek cooking for pork fillet which still gives us the chance to taste something delicious! Walnuts give something extra in the final result and it won't disappoint you

Festive tourta with almonds and cream

A delicious syrupy Festive dessert based on the recipe of a Saint Basil's cake but with the addition of  oranges and a cream flavoured with lemon

Spiced beef cooked with pomegranate and raisins

A delicious recipe with the intense aroma and refreshing taste of pomegranates. You could substitute with beef cheeks or brisket. If you'd prefer the sauce more velvety in texture, you can pass it through a blender after discarding the cloves

Braised cabbage with chestnuts and spices

A delicious alternative to other Winter vegetables to accompany your roast poultry or pork at the festive table but not only then

Fava beans stew with tomatoes and orange

I would not say that fava beans are the kind of dried pulses we cook often at our house but when I saw this recipe I thought it would be a nice idea to try them out in a different way. The dish was as we were hoping, a nice hearty stew with a delicious sauce to mop up with crusty bread. In Greece fava beans have been quite popular in past decades when the majority of people could not afford to have meat very often and the country was under very difficult times... So, they might have been popular out of necessity in the old days but I do know that many people really like them still nowadays. Fava beans can be quite versatile and it is a good thing that the modern Greek chefs come up with ideas such as this one because, trust me, most of the Greeks (sooner or later) will have to go back to the basics (or to learn how to) under the current circumstances.... if you know what I mean... I'm sure those who belong to older generations and they were unfortunate enough to feel what a real crisis means in the past will understand better...

Wild pig in wine sauce with honey and orange

A classic Winter-time dish, delicious and very hearty! The marinade is necessary because the meat will remain moist and tender with an exceptional flavour. Slowly cooked for plenty of time it will reward your patience with a great result. Don't forget to keep an eye on it so there is enough liquid all the way through

Festive crème Bavaroise with spearmint

An unusual but still delicious dessert with the spearmint as the star of the dish! A festive dessert which will impress your guests with it's vibrand colour and refreshing taste after a rich Christmas dinner

Country style sausages with Haloumi cheese baked in baking paper

A delicious (and very fast and easy) recipe to enjoy anytime in the year really and not only during the Winter months. Great dish to share as a meze along with some good red wine

Greek Festive baklavas with Aegina pistachios

I don't think that Baklavas needs a lot of introduction to most of you. Those who have not tried it in Greece probably have in Turkey or Lebanon or other Middle East or Balkan countries. The name is almost the same everywhere with minor phonetic variations. It's history is not well documented but it's current form is believed to have developed in the kitchens of the Topkapi Palace during the Ottoman years.... although, it seems, there is evidence of mentioning Baklava in Arab, Greek, even Byzantine sources before the Ottoman period. It is a very popular (and very sweet) dessert which can be found all over Greece with small variations from region to region. In many areas of the country it is considered as the main Christmas dessert and a lot of people prefer the home made phyllo pastry than the store-bought one. Here we have the delicate version with pistachios which, in my opinion, makes the Baklava lighter in taste (but probably not in calories I'm afraid...:-) *** Don't neglect to read the two important notes at the end of the recipe

Leek and ground meat pie with home made phyllo

I know it is a bit of an effort to make home made phyllo but it is much nicer and there are specific pie recipes that they require this type of pastry instead of the store bought phyllo sheets. The home made phyllo is time consuming and demands a fair amount of patience and skill but all you need is practice (including myself). I have mentioned before that some pies need thicker home made phyllo and others (like the Baklava, various cheese pies etc) need to have quite thin phyllo sheets (about 2.5 mm). For the home made phyllo a long thin rolling pin is needed anyway (as you have seen before in other pie recipes in this blog) but in the case of the thin phyllo sheets you have to keep rolling and rolling to achieve the proper thickness. Today, again, I give you the full version of the recipe (which surprisingly enough doesn't include any cheese) and you can decide whether to make the home made phyllo or to follow the easy way

Slowly cooked oxtail with thick macaroni

A delicious and hearty dish!! Comfort Greek food at its best! It is not so common to cook such a recipe in Greece without any tomato in, so to have a rich sauce to mop up... But it is a very nice alternative to the classic stews. Still, though, you could add some colour if you want using 2 tbsp of tomato paste or 1 tin of grated tomatoes. In that case you should double the amount of balsamic vinegar

Braised leeks in creamy lemon sauce

A great vegetarian/vegan recipe with the leeks being the star of the dish! It is so versatile because, in this way of cooking, you can prepare almost all types of Winter or Spring time vegetables: cauliflower, cabbage, courgettes, sweet peas and even potatoes

Christmas salad dressing with pomegranate

Christmas and pomegranate are best friends! Such a big favourite and so versatile! Here we have a tasty dressing which goes perfectly well with green salads, beetroots or cabbage, with chestnuts or even avocados. It goes well with shrimps, lobster and scallops but also with salmon. You can even use it as a marinade for pork meat, game and poulty

Braised beef with chestnuts

A very hearty, filling and delicious dish for the Winter months to enjoy with family and friends. To gain sometime and make your life easier you can always substitute with tinned or vacuumed packed chestnuts

Karpenissi traditional walnut pie

After the classic version of walnut pie and the one in phyllo pastry, today we have a third version quite different than the previous two. A traditional dessert coming from Karpenissi, the beautiful capital of Evrytania region (the "Switzerland of Greece" as we call it), in Central Greece. A very popular destinaton during Winter time (but not only) thanks to the beautiful mountainous landscape and the famous ski resort up to the Velouchi mountain with its highest top at 2314m.

The area is full of delicious local specialties (mainly with meat) and this dessert today is full of spices and anthotyro cheese wrapped in crunchy phyllo... A delicious alternative for baklava or other similar Christmas desserts but at the same time a dessert which you can enjoy anytime. The original recipe asks for a type of Greek cheese called "Chlorotyri" or for "Sweet Myzithra" but the more known abroad "Anthotyro" cheese is a good substitute for the recipe

Melomakarona (Greek Christmas honeyed cookies) with mandarin flavour

Last year I posted the classic recipe of Melomakarona. This is another version of these delicious, traditional Christmas honey-dipped cookies. The mandarin orange flavour makes the difference. Why don't you try something different this Festive Season?

Chocolate truffles with orange and cognac

Fantastic truffles with a very easy recipe and so easily to consume! Let them slowly melt in your mouth and enjoy their unique taste and aroma. A great idea to make these truffles to treat your guests or to offer as a gift

Pork fillet with mashed leeks

A delicious dish which can become a Sunday lunch favourite! The mashed leeks are a great alternative to the classic mashed potatoes and the pork fillet gets beautifully tender

A "tiramissou" like dessert with the flavours of an apple pie

A delicious dessert with a totally new approach thanks to refreshing and crunchy green apples and spices. A special combination which reminds of an apple pie

Braised lamb with quinces in grape molasses sauce

"Petimezi" (grape molasses), is a thick, non-fermented grape juice, which is used in Greece since ancient times. It is produced by cooking down must for hours, until it becomes dark and syrupy. "Petimezi" keeps almost forever and it was one of the ancient sweeteners (along with honey) used as a sugar substitute. Petimezi's flavour is not just sweet, but much more complex, with slight bitter undertones. We use it in various desserts but also in some savoury recipes, like the one we have today with the great combination of lamb and quinces cooked in meat broth with a sweet and sour taste and ending up with a thick sauce like honey. A few simple ingredients are used in this recipe but the final result is exceptional

Carrot salad with raisins and pomegranate

If you are bored of the various green salads, which often can be rather tasteless or predictable in taste, then this one here is for you! Before you buy the carrots try out a small piece. If it is sweet and aromatic then you should not miss them! If it is rather bitter or you can smell the soil you have two options: it is time to start going to another grocery store or choose another recipe in this blog!:-)) Joking aside, this is a delicious and quick salad with very simple ingredients. If you leave it in the fridge all night the next day the flavours will all nicely come together ending with a lightly pickled flavour

Almond and mandarin truffles

Almonds and mandarins... A great combination of flavours for these little sweet treats which can be served anytime and not only during the Festive season! Great gift idea for friends and family

Sweet potatoes, pumpkin and chestnuts stew

Lets start this Christmas season with a delicious recipe. A very seasonal vegetarian dish which can be served not only as a main but also as a side dish at the Christmas or New Year's table! If there are any leftovers next day, you can turn them into a tasty purée simply by mashing the vegetables into a smooth mixture. Or you can mash the vegetables with your hands and mix with one egg, some fine breadcrumbs and plenty of grated parmesan. Shape into balls, shallow fry on both sides and you'll end up with an excellent meze on your plate!