Fried octopus with "crushed" potatoes

Try this different recipe for a beloved seafood dish. The potatoes are cooked based on a traditional recipe coming from the Greeks of the Black Sea (Efxinos Pontos). If you are not a fan of octopus you could use squids instead. This is a great recipe for those who fast and they need something filling and tasty during the Lent period but of course it is a recipe for everybody and for all seasons

One-pot chicken ragoût with fennel, red peppers and potatoes braised in light tomato sauce

Simple but delicious light chicken recipe to enjoy one of the most aromatic root vegetables, fennel! A nice family-friendly Sunday meal which can be served as it is or along with a white fluffy rice pilaf . The fact that it is one of those one-pot meals makes it really attractive because it is easier and saves us plenty of time

Mini savoury tiganites (pancakes) with beetroot dip and served with soft cheese dip

This is really a fun recipe! Ideal to serve it as a first dish, an appetizer or on a buffet table along with other finger-food dishes and it is suitable for all seasons. The original recipe asks for the special Greek white cheese "Katiki" from Domokos area in Central Greece. It is a soft (spreadable) white cheese made of goat and/or goat and ewe milk. It is popular because of its low levels in salt and fat and it is suitable to use it on salads, various dips, in savoury and sweet cheese fillings for pies etc. ** The best option to replace Katiki cheese is to use very soft, in texture, Feta mixed with a bit of yoghurt and beat until creamy or to use softened goat's cheese mixed with some milk

Pork fillet stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and Anthotyro cheese

Tender and juicy pork fillet stuffed with a couple of really tasty ingredients that the Greek cuisine honours very often! It is an all-seasons recipe this one and I believe that you will really enjoy it. Because of the fillet, the cooking time is not as long as with other meats so not too much hassle for you. The original recipe demands fresh rosemary, which I find too strong in taste and aroma and that's why I usually prefer fresh thyme or even better, fresh oregano which are more subtle. But if you prefer rosemary, it would be better if you turn it into powder and use it carefully. This dish can be served along with various vegetables but sautéed peas and carrots or steamed green beans I think are most suitable. It also goes nicely with white rice pilaf or boiled potatoes drizzled with lemon & olive oil dressing

Lemon and anthotyro cheese dessert with homemade biscuit crumble and caramel

So easy and so tasty this dessert! Light and refreshing, an ideal recipe to end a rich dinner. Making your own biscuit base it makes it even tastier

Baked giant beans with cod fillet and red peppers in light tomato sauce

Take advantage of this nutritious and tasty pulse to create a delicious dish for the whole family. Baked giant beans are very popular in the Greek cuisine and beside cooking them plain they can be accompanied with meat or even fish as is the case with today's recipe

Bucatini with slowly cooked rich meat sauce scented with mild spices

Who can resist a dish full of tasty pasta poured with a luscious meat sauce on top? Not many people I think and it is one of our favourite dishes at home. We love pasta and I have a special reference to the thick macaroni and I think this recipe tastes always better with such a kind of pasta! Biased? Maybe...:-) This meat sauce is inspired, in a way, from the Italian bolognese (cooked by an excellent cook with roots back to Italy) but at the same time it is fully adjusted to the habits of cooking we follow in Greece when it comes to such kind of recipes. It is a really family-friendly recipe and the type of comfort-food suitable for all seasons!

Feta cheese "saganaki" wrapped in crispy phyllo pastry, drizzled with beer & honey syrup

The traditional and famous Greek fried cheese appetizer this time all dressed up in phyllo pastry for extra crispiness! A delicious first or meze dish to enjoy any time of the year! The slightly thick beer and honey syrup gives extra flavour to the wrapped cheese and that semi-sweet taste. Good quality of Feta cheese is the secret here which though you can replace with Manouri cheese

Springtime Lettuce Salad with Orange and Almond Brittle

This seasonal salad not only has a welcomed refreshing flavour to offer thanks to the last of Wintertime oranges but also an extra flavour and texture thanks to the crunchy and nutty brittle which makes it really special! Ideal not only as a salad to share but as a first dish or even a light meal

Ladopita - Olive oil, almonds and semolina baked pudding

A traditional recipe usually made during fasting periods because of no dairy and/or eggs involved. The very good quality of olive oil is the secret in this recipe. This dessert resembles in a way to the halva pudding although there is no syrup poured over

Tender squids with spinach and fresh herbs

So, Lent started yesterday and a lot of people started fasting... Until the Easter week you'll find tasty Greek savoury and sweet recipes which are popular during this period (but not only). Recipes which not only will give you ideas to expand your meal choices for your family but also, for those who are not familiar, to get to know better another side of the Greek cuisine. For a start I have chosen for you an easy seafood recipe which is quite versatile because beside the squids you can also use cuttlefish. Fresh squids are always preferable and the food tastes even better but it is not essential. If they are really small then use them whole otherwise cut into rings and don't throw away their tentacles. When fresh they don't need a lot of time to cook; so don't overcook them because they will turn rather chewy. Spinach is in season so it's better if fresh is used. It is a simple meal as you'll see but very tasty and really nutritious

Classic Taramosalata - Tarama Salad for Clean Monday's feast

Not actually a salad. It is rather a dip or a spread that you can have on your bread and as a great appetizer for your ouzo. It comes from carp or cod roe and there are varieties of it. The best quality is the white tarama, with no additives. The smoked cod roe is whitish in colour, while the carp roe can be found in light to dark pink colour. You can make it using stale bread or boiled potatoes. The taste is similar but the texture totally different. This is a great appetizer which it can be found all year through but it is a staple during the various fasting periods in Greece and especially on "Clean Monday" when the Greek Orthodox Lent period starts

Country-style layered cheese pie with semolina - A tradition to celebrate the last Weekend of the Carnival period before Lent starts

It's this time of the year again! Not only Spring has unofficially started but we (the Greeks) get to the Lent period tomorrow. The tradition has it every year on the last Sunday of the Carnival period to "clean up" every dairy product our fridge might have before we start fasting on "Clean Monday" which is tomorrow. Usually a pie is the star of the day in most households, among other non-fasting dishes, but often just a luscious and rich cheese pie along with a salad is more than enough as a main meal. Today's recipe is one that I wanted to make since I first discovered it sometime ago because I thought that differs to other country-style versions and I was very curious about it. My mother, though, told me that this is not an uncommon type of cheese pie and she seems to remember that her mother used to add semolina in the filling so to absorb the moisture of the cheese and of course the phyllo pastry back then was always homemade. So, I had decided days ago that this year I would cook this pie for this special Sunday and I couldn't wait! As you'll see there is nothing fancy about it regarding the ingredients or the method except the semolina's presence. The only thing maybe that makes it so special and tasty is the good quality of the cheese and especially the good quality of butter used and I don't mean margarine. As I'm not so experienced in homemade phyllo making I thought better not to risk it so I used commercial thick phyllo sheets instead. If you can't find this variety and you can't make your own then the classic thin phyllo pastry sheets is the alternative. The pie is cooked, tried out already (just a piece before dinner so to check it out:-)) and it is really very tasty and luscious! It does give you this special country-style flavour which I really love and the filling worked just fine with the semolina. Give it a try when you have the chance, you won't regret it!

Lemony and gingery baked perch fillets with onions and potatoes served with fresh herbs pesto

Oh this is really delicious and quite different than the usual Greek-style baked fish recipes! Although I'm not a huge fan of fish in general, this is one of my favourite recipes! Perch in my opinion is one of the most tasty fishes and this is not only an easy recipe to put together but the rest of the ingredients work perfectly with it (onions, ginger, lemon and wine make the difference) and in the end you have a delicious, filling and of course nutritious meal for the whole family! The pesto going along might seem strange to you but believe me it only compliments the whole dish adding an extra flavour