BAKING BREAD WEEK 1: Aromatic Tsoureki breads with double chocolate filling and almonds crust

Most of us (Greeks) when we talk about Tsoureki bread our mind turns to thoughts about Easter time and Christmas because this lightly sweet bread is so much connected to those two celebrations. And it was like this for God knows how long until this delicacy from a traditional sweet made at home started becoming a standard commercialised item at the bakeries and later on at the supermarkets. So, nowadays, you can find Tsoureki all year round and in so many different shapes and flavours that you wouldn't imagine! This recipe today combines the traditional flavour and method with a small modern, but delicious, twist making it a really great treat for all seasons!

BAKING BREAD WEEK 1: Easy recipe for beer bread + a few good ideas to perk it up

With this recipe you don't need to worry about anything! No sifting or preparing a pre-dough, no hours of waiting to rise, not even any kneading! It is actually a great way for the beginners or those who are not so familiar with the "baking bread at home" to get used to the idea. Just a bowl, a whisk, a loaf tin, a well preheated oven and a few simple ingredients are enough to create a delicious homemade bread. After that a few tasty ideas to make this bread even more interesting in flavour!

BAKING BREAD WEEK 1: All-season sweet bread rolls with cranberries and dried figs

These sweet bread rolls are suitable for all hours and seasons! For your breakfast or just as a snack they are a great idea to make at home. Cranberries and dried figs go nicely together but it doesn't mean that you can not use different fruits like for example dates, blond raisins or finely chopped prunes. Using a muffin tin makes things easier so to have equal-sized rolls to present 

BAKING BREAD WEEK 1: Individual bread rolls with caramelised onions

These cute bread rolls, based on the idea of the Italian focaccia, they are great to be served any time or season and in any occasion! Okay, most breads require plenty of preparation but it is really worth the trouble and the time we spend and these rolls will reward you in the best way! Ideal for snack, picnic, served at any buffet or dinner gathering they will satisfy all those who can really appreciate the homemade fresh bread!

BAKING BREAD WEEK 1: Sweet bread with honey, hazelnuts and saffron

Lightly sweet, this bread is a great idea to enjoy all day long as a snack or to accompany your tea or coffee with it! The hazelnuts give this beautiful nutty flavour and light crunchy texture and the saffron this distinctive colour and taste. Surely a bread for all seasons and how nice to be done by your own hands and have the house full of the aroma of the freshly baked bread!

BAKING BREAD WEEK 1: Classic cheese bread with Feta cheese

Homemade bread! Who can say no to a freshly baked loaf in whichever form it is done... savoury or sweet, in the classic way or a bit different when stuffed with various tasty fillings.... always homemade bread brings smiles to people's faces and there are times that we could stay all day long with just a nice loaf of bread nibbling away.... Lets start this week with a classic Greek homemade bread, the "tyropsomo" which can, also, be served easily as a snack, something easy to take with you at a picnic or at work and great for the kids for their school lunch. This version is the most common you can find all over the country but it doesn't mean that it is common in flavour! A good quality of Feta cheese and olive oil are the secrets and then everything is easy

DRIED PULSES WEEK: Homemade yellow split peas gnocchi with ground meat ragoût

Lets finish this "dried pulses week" with a really delicious and more meaty recipe so to please those who no matter what,can't live without any meat for too long...:-)) It is true that homemade gnocchi demand some of our time but they are worth it and this version with the yellow split peas (the Greek Fava) gives you the chance not only to put some pulses in your life but also to try out something different than the classic gnocchi. The rich ragoût sauce really compliments the recipe and the two together are perfect!

DRIED PULSES WEEK: Easy and fast baked chickpeas "burgers" with spinach and herbs

Now these fluffy "burgers" not only can become a super delicious and nutritious meal for the whole family but, also, a great idea to persuade the children to eat dried pulses... They can be served as they are, along with some rice pilaf and a salad or to become the main thing to build up some luscious burgers at home 

DRIED PULSES WEEK: Potted spicy fava beans in tomato sauce

This recipe can be served as a main meal but also it is a great idea for a meze dish to share. It is not complicated at all to prepare and just a few simple ingredients are enough to create this nutritious recipe. Everything comes together nicely and the hot pepper gives a more interesting flavour 

DRIED PULSES WEEK: Spicy potted lentils with Winter root vegetables

Lentils, another tasty and nutritious pulse which can be cooked in so many ways and my personal favourite! Today's recipe is totally different than the classic Greek lentils soup giving us the chance to try something really delicious. The root vegetables used in this recipe are some of the most popular of the Wintertime and definitely help the dish to become so rich and filling! You can always substitute turmeric with the curry powder of your preference for a more spicy flavour

DRIED PULSES WEEK: Aromatic chickpeas stew with black olives

Great idea to cook this super nutritious and tasty pulse! The chickpeas are so versatile and why not have them as a stew in a light tomato sauce and enriched with the distinctive flavour of black olives! Feta cheese and fresh crusty bread will complete this meal in the best way!

DRIED PULSES WEEK: Baked giant beans with Winter veggies in tomato sauce, served with country-style sausages

This is truly a delicious, rustic-style and so hearty Wintertime meal! Inspired by a traditional recipe coming from Central Greece you will see how nicely balanced are the various flavours and how the giant beans "need" really the sausages to elevate the classic dish to something special! A rich red wine is the most appropriate to serve next to this dish

DRIED PULSES WEEK: Black-eyed beans "stifado" cooked with sweet shallots in light tomato sauce

I admit that I have not honoured dried (and fresh) pulses as much as they deserve so far, so I decided that it is time to pay more attention to them. So, this week is dedicated to various dried pulses which are so tasty and super nutritious! In Greece they are quite popular and we cook them in soooo many different ways! Not to mention that they've been always a staple in the Greek cuisine and especially in the old days for so many people when meat was not so easy to buy... The recipe today is inspired by the classic (meaty) "Stifado" recipe thanks to the small sweet onions involved in the recipe. It is an easy dish to prepare which is, also, ideal for the vegetarians and the vegans

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Oven-braised lamb with rice, leeks and herbs cooked in wine sauce and used as a filling for a traditional meat pie

This is such a great pie! Based on traditional recipes from around the country it is really a full meal itself and not so much a first dish or snack as can happen with other pies. Rich in ingredients and full of taste the filling makes this pie a hearty dish to enjoy with family and friends during the Winter months! I would like, though, to mention that if you are not big fans of lamb you can substitute with pork meat or mixed ground meat. This is something I've done after the first couple of times I followed the recipe in its original version. I can assure you that the pie was equally delicious!

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Traditional "Kihi" spiral pie with leeks and feta cheese

This is one of the most delicious traditional pies in Greece coming from the Kozani region in Northern part of the country. I have not managed to discover where the name "Kihi" derives from. If the name indicates the type of the pastry (and then the pie getting its name from it) or not or if the word "Kihi" implies the "spiral" shape of the pie in some local dialect maybe ... I really don't know, always we knew this pie as "Kihi from Kozani" and I suppose that was enough:-)) But, if anybody out there comes from this region and they know the story behind the name of this pie I would love to hear about it! What I did manage to find out, though, is the difference between the spiral "Kihi" from Kozani and the spiral cheese pie coming from Skopelos island (another famous delicacy). According to many, the main difference is that the "Kihi" is always cooked in the oven and the Skopelos spiral cheese pies are cooked in the pan, shallow fried. Well, both are delicious but today I present you the one from Kozani with leeks in the ingredients besides the feta cheese

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Traditional feta cheese pie with easy homemade phyllo

This traditional recipe coming, mainly, from Northern and Central Greece is really delicious and quite easy to prepare. The ingredients not too many, as you will see... just a good quality of, not too soft or not too hard, feta cheese is more than enough! As for the pastry, you don't need any special skills to make any fancy phyllo as with other pies. Your fingers are enough to stretch the pastry out and make a few thick pastry sheets. This technique will make the pastry so nicely crunchy! 

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Chicken pie with Kasseri cheese and leeks in homemade pastry

Some of my favourite ingredients are involved in this recipe and the result is really delicious! Leeks, soft mellow Kasseri cheese and chicken work together so nicely creating a really filling meal. As with most Greek pies this one too can be served as a main meal if you want and if you think that making your own pastry is too much then an option for this kind of pie is the shortcrust pastry (two sheets) or four store-bought thick phyllo pastry sheets

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Savoury pumpkin spiral pie with herbs and goat's cheese

Once again the seasonal pumpkin is the main ingredient in a recipe and this time in a traditional savoury pie which can be served as a main meal or snack or first dish. The ingredients are few and simple but they are all so tasty and they come together in such a nice balance. The original recipe uses a very tasty herb we have in Greece called "Kafkalithra" which is the Mediterranean Hartwort and is aromatic and very distinctive in taste. If not easy to find it you can always use parsley or garden chervil which both are good substitutes for this pie

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Traditional Cretan snail and potatoes pie with herbs - Don't feel intimidated by it!

I'm certain that some of you will turn your heads on the other side or scroll down immediately only by the sight of the title of this recipe but before you do just bare with me because there are always alternatives... I must admit that only 4-5 times so far in my life I have tried snails (cooked only in the Greek classic way and only twice have tried this kind of pie and not once I have cooked them myself) and I must, also, admit that snails are not exactly my idea of "meat".... but, at least regarding this pie, things are not or taste so bad as you would think because, honestly, if you don't know in advance what there is inside the filling it is rather difficult to feel the difference... Not so much because you could not distinguish the "proper" meat from a snail but because by the time you will realise you have already tried it and thanks to the rest of the ingredients the taste is soooo good and you forget all about the snails... well, almost, because then you start thinking about them... Anyway, as I say on the top, there are alternatives and if snails put you off just follow the recipe using the rest of the ingredients and some "proper" meat instead like ground lamb or beef. Those who come from Crete, because this is where this famous pie comes from being a real delicacy in various areas of the island, probably will get mad at me but hey... snails are snails and not all people like the idea of them!

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Onions and Feta cheese pie with homemade pastry

Onions are a staple in the Greek cuisine. They are a big part probably in most dishes regardless the type of the recipe or the season. There are so many classic examples of the Greek cuisine where onions (the "dried ones" as we simply categorize them so to show the difference between them and the Spring (or green) onions) are used, kept whole, in slices, finely chopped or grated. Plenty of the small type of onions in the rich meaty dish called "Stifado". Raw in various salads or as a garnish they are almost always there to remind us that they can make or break a dish.... The onions found in most vegetable markets and grocery stores around Greece are usually red or yellowish and more rarely white. The small red onions that are used whole in the "Stifado" recipe should not be confused with the “Kokkari” variety of a similar size, destined for planting. Occasionally you may be able to find large, red and slightly flat sweet onions from Zakynthos island which are used for a delicious local speciality. Shallots are simply onions that have been picked before the bulb forms and have a more delicate flavour, which again can be used in the "Stifado". We could say much more about the onions but for now lets concentrate on today's recipe where the onions are the main ingredient. There are various versions of onion pies around the country depending on the variety of the onion and the filling and this one is one of the simplest but still delicious in taste thanks, also, to the homemade pastry

SAVOURY PIES WEEK 1: Ground meat, chestnuts, pine nuts and mild spices pie with Kadaifi pastry

This is really a delicious and filling pie which can be served proudly in any family or more formal occasion. It is not difficult to prepare and you can gain sometime if you have cooked the filling from the day before. The Kadaifi pastry, as always, gives such a nice crunchy texture to the pie and the filling is full of aromas and taste thanks to the presence of the chestnuts and the mild spices! It can be easily served as a first dish or as a main meal along with a crispy green salad

POULTRY WEEK 1: Marinated grilled chicken with lemon and mixed olives in brandy sauce

This is a recipe which manages to put together ingredients which probably would not meet in a pan at the same time but the result is really tasty and full of aromas. Marinating the chicken the whole night not only makes it more tender and keeps it juicy but especially tasty thanks to the brandy. The olives are not something new in such a recipe but this traditional touch with the modern twist of the marinade works out very well and with the various flavours in a perfect balance

POULTRY WEEK 1: Braised turkey breast fillets with chestnuts and dried fruits in a sweet and sour sauce

Such a delicious and hearty recipe this one, full of Winter flavours and aromas! Some of the most popular ingredients of the season are in it working together very well and making the (sometimes boring) turkey breast really moist and delicious! In my opinion the recipe doesn't need any accompaniment because it is so filling, but if you'd like something extra a light white basmati would be fine

POULTRY WEEK 1: Spicy chicken with baked pumpkin, carrots and chickpeas

Easy to prepare and a really delicious and aromatic recipe with a spicy flavour, ideal for a Winter meal with the family or friends. In the version I give you the spices are there but not so strong or too hot so the flavours blend together well without dominating one another. You'll gain time if you prepare the chickpeas the night before or if you use tinned chickpeas to make things even simpler. The fresh ginger it was more than enough for us because we are not big fans of too hot flavours. So, instead of the curry powder the recipe suggested, I used saffron (turmeric is good too) but of course this is a matter of preference and you can choose otherwise

POULTRY WEEK 1: Baked chicken in red wine sauce with shallots and cheese

A "country style" dish with the chicken very tender and moist in the delicious sauce with the shallots, all cooked nicely together in the oven. This is an alternative to the classic "stifado" recipe. The addition of the hard cheese gives to the whole dish an extra taste and texture. A very hearty and filling Wintertime recipe which you can find in various areas of Greece with minor differences, always accompanied by a rich red wine

POULTRY WEEK 1: Turkey bites in creamy aromatic tomato and wine sauce served with orzo pasta

Inspired, in a vague way, by the classic Yiouvetsi recipe, this dish is simple and easy to prepare for the family any day of the week and for a change, turkey is used instead of chicken. The rest of the ingredients are not fancy or too many but they are enough to give a great taste and aroma to the sauce helping to break down the strong flavour of the turkey (which in our case at home this is a plus). The orzo is cooked separately in the same classic way as with any other pasta

POULTRY WEEK 1: Braised chicken with caramelised onions in mustard and grape molasses sauce

Full of delicious aromas, this recipe makes the chicken really tender and with a great taste thanks to this subtle sweet and sour flavour the mustard, the onions and the grape molasses give. You can use the chicken legs as the recipe suggests but you, also, could use a mixture of breast and legs (always skin on for this recipe) or even a large whole chicken cut in portions but in this case the time of cooking is longer. Various side dishes can accompany this meal like mashed or fried potatoes, spaghetti or a nice white rice pilaf so to have a really rich and hearty dish

POULTRY WEEK 1: Sunday's roasted chicken stuffed with lemons and apples

A roasted chicken always is more than welcome at the table and for some reason it is so connected with those hearty Sunday family meals. This recipe today is also quite seasonal since some nice crispy apples are involved to give an extra flavour to the whole dish

SOUP WEEK 1: Creamy trahana soup served with fried Feta cheese cubes

A creamy and very filling traditional soup which will make the upcoming cold days more tolerable! Trahana soup is a staple in the Greek cuisine for generations and in this case along with the feta cheese and some fresh crusty bread you'll end up with a such delicious and nutritious meal. As I've mentioned to you before in Greece we have two types of trahana, the "sweet" and the "sour". In this recipe the sour trahana is required but of course if you can not find any you can substitute with the classic "sweet" one 

SOUP WEEK 1: Creamy pumpkin, celery and leek soup with a twist

Another tasty and filling soup to expand your choices and enjoy this hearty dish during the Winter months! The main star is the pumpkin but the rest of the ingredients work together well so to give an extra flavour and make this soup even more luscious! And in the end for some colour contrast but also for a nice subtle sour & sweet flavour to the dish, the addition of a berry jam