Springtime terrine with strawberries and sweet wine scented ladyfinger biscuits

HRISTOS ANESTH!!
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HE HAS RISEN!!

I hope all the Greeks around the world had a great night yesterday and I wish to all of you a great Easter Sunday! Hopefully the weather elsewhere is sunnier and milder than it is where we are, definitely not the right one for outdoors roasting the lamb on the spit!:-)) But, that's why the ovens and the pots are around, to save the day! And while our meat is cooking away and most preparations are done, I have the chance to give you today's dessert recipe which I prepared late last night so not to have to do too many things today. Okay, this year we didn't go with anything traditionally Greek... No Galaktoboureko, or Amygdalopita or Galatopita which are some of those desserts people like to have on Easter Sunday. We all love strawberries and it was my husband's request from days ago to repeat a dessert I had done before and we really enjoyed it. A simple and easy but delicious terrine. A really refreshing dessert which I think is ideal after last night's meal and especially after today's big feast that will take place later on... I believe a lighter dessert like this one is ideal for such occasions and what is better than some strawberries! I have done this recipe before and once I replaced the mascarpone with Anthotyro cheese but this time I didn't have any so I followed the original recipe

"Galatenio" - Traditional sweet Easter tsoureki bread scented with mild spices

Beside the Easter red eggs (that I was telling you about yesterday) another traditional sweet treat made (usually) on Holy Thursday is the making of the Easter Tsoureki bread. A semi-sweet, yeasted bread full of taste and aromas of various spices. There are different versions of Tsoureki bread (which nowadays can be found in the bakeries all year round) depending on the region it is coming from as well as Lenten variations of it for those who want something nice during the fasting period. The Tsoureki bread we have today is a traditional recipe coming from Karpathos, one of the Dodecanese islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Its name "Galatenio" literally means "milky" and this specific recipe includes soured milk (which is widely consumed in Greece and other countries in Europe) instead of the classic milk and which of course has nothing to do with spoiled milk that has gone off naturally. Another difference from the classic Tsoureki bread recipes is that, beside the mastic, spices like cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon are added giving a special flavour to the bread. You'll see that the quantity of the ingredients is big in this recipe and it is up to you if you'll make plenty of smaller individual breads or a few bigger ones. Also the shape you'll give to the dough is up to you. Wreaths, twisted or braided will all look nice and they will be delicious 

Sweet tahini pies with homemade pastry - A vegetarian sweet treat for all hours

Monday today and we'll start with a traditional recipe found in various regions of Greece and which is a great snack to have while fasting during the Holy Week (but not only). As you'll see the ingredients are not many or fancy and the whole recipe counts on the presence of this especially tasty and nutritious ingredient: the tahini paste which comes from the sesame seeds and it has always been a staple in the Greek cuisine! During the Holy Week, and especially on Good Friday, in those households where people strictly fast,it is the main ingredient used for various recipes since even olive oil is not eaten. There are variations of the recipe but this one is simple and basic as things should be during this special week

"Lazarakia" - Traditional Lenten cookies for the "Saturday of Lazarus"

Today in the Greek Orthodox calendar is the "Saturday of Lazarus" and is, in a way, the beginning of the Greek Orthodox Holy Week. "Lazarakia" (literally meaning "Little Lazaruses") are traditional small, sweet and mildly spiced cookies made only once a year and that day is today. They represent, of course, the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. We are not 100% sure from when and where this custom started but it seems that it probably arrived in Greece with the Greeks from Asia Minor. Hence the fact that it is a recipe that we don't find all over Greece but mainly in places where the Greeks of Asia Minor reached and established themselves through the years. For example, Cretan friends have told me that in Crete they are not familiar with this custom. On the other hand there are other islands like Kalymnos, Kasteloryzo, Rhodes and Skopelos where these cookies are a "must" for this time of year and there are various festivities connected to them on this specific Saturday. Lazarakia are cookies shaped like a man wrapped in a shroud (supposedly Saint Lazarus of Bethany) with cloves for eyes. They are Lenten cookies meaning they do not contain any dairy or egg products. Somebody would say that they look ugly and macabre but these cookies have a different purpose than any other type of fancy cookies. They are meant to remind us of Lazarus' resurrection which forebodes Christ's and lets not forget that this was Christ's last miracle before his own death and resurrection. Being not so attractive in looks and rather "poor" in ingredients, these small cookies don't lack of taste at all!! On the contrary they are very tasty and aromatic thanks to the spices that go in. There is a basic recipe but depending on the region the cookies come from there are various extra elements added which enrich the flavour of them. The version I'm giving you today is only one of the many that exist. I've cooked them 2-3 times in the past (different versions regarding the spices) and once you have the first bite you forget all about looks...:-)) 

Easter sweet milk pie with homemade pastry

One more sweet milk pie, this time with homemade pastry to make things even more traditional! There are various versions of milk pies in Greece, those with no pastry at all, others with pastry only at the bottom, others with phyllo pastry and so on... This is a really nice and light pie and the best idea for a dessert after a rich meal like the Easter meals usually are. It can, of course, be served any time of the year but for some reason I find it one of the best Spring-time desserts

Easter cookies with orange and cognac flavour

So, Easter is here again... At least for some of you since the Latin and Greek Orthodox Easter don't coincide this year. It is not my time for Easter recipes yet but since it is for most of the followers and passing-by readers of this blog I wished to honour them all the same! Keeping in mind that the eating habits are quite different I tried to choose some recipes that the foreign friends would not find troublesome or "weird" like some traditional Greek Easter recipes can be...:-) Lets start then with something really painless, easy to make and delicious. A recipe, one version out of so many, for Easter cookies that you can find around Greece. Enriched with orange and cognac this is a recipe which can be followed any time of the year to enjoy along with your coffee

Chocolate tourta with leftover Easter Tsoureki bread

Any leftover Tsoureki or other type of Easter bread like Challah or Brioche?? No worries! Here there is a delicious recipe which is very handy to use up any stale sweet bread you still have around, creating something different than the classic bread puddings

Amygdalopita No 2 - Easter almond pie with syrup

Almond is one of those ingredients that is so popular in traditional recipes coming from various Greek islands giving us some delicius desserts like this almond pie. In this version, without spoiling the tradition, a slightly modern twist is allowed so to give to the dessert a more refreshing taste

Galatopita - Easter open sweet milk pie with phyllo pastry

Don't feel intimidated by the term "Easter" on the title of the recipe because "Galatopita" is one of those desserts that can be served any time in the year. It's only because of its light, airy and fluffy flavour and texture that, in my opinion, suits better to the Spring time mood which makes it ideal for an Easter Sunday dessert (especially after a rich Greek celebration feast...). It will remind you a little bit of "Galaktoboureko" the ultimate Easter Sunday (and not only) dessert but this version of Galatopita is not soaked in syrup and also is open on top. It can be served plain with some icing sugar and ground cinnamon dusted on top or along with a couple of dolops of "dessert-spoon sweets" like sour or sweet cherry

Melitinia - An Easter soft cheese and pastry sweet

Melitinia is a traditional sweet from Santorini Island. They make them for all big occasions like weddings etc and also in Easter time. They prepare them during the Holy Week so to be ready on time. There is a similar recipe in Crete, the well known "lychnarakia" or "kaltsounia", but the ingredients in the pastry and in the filling vary a bit. Elsewhere in Greece you can find them with the name "lyhnarakia" and again the recipe is a bit different. It is a rather tricky recipe thanks to the shape the pastry has to have before you add the filling but they are delicious. Those of you who like a challenge don't hesitate to try them out

Melopita - Traditional honey pie

This is a very tasty and very light dessert coming from Sifnos island (in Aegean Sea) and for a change with no syrup on!! We could call it the "Greek cheesecake"... Traditionally "Melopita" is an Easter sweet pie but it doesn't mean that you can not have it during the rest of the year. The classic version is the one I present to you today with only a few nutricious ingredients (with no crust or any other kind of pastry involved) . The key ingredient is the cheese they use in this pie. It should be the "anthotyro" (similar to the goat's cheese) or the fresh unsalted "myzithra cheese". I have seen and tasted a version with a home made pastry which was delicious but I'm not sure how much traditional it was. It's an easy recipe and it will accompany your tea or coffee perfectly

Galaktoboureko - Custard cream dessert with phyllo pastry

Galaktoboureko, although it is an all-seasons dessert it is, probably, the most common dessert people have after a great Easter Sunday feast! No matter how much they have eaten there is no way to neglect to have a tempting piece of galaktoboureko with crunchy phyllo and creamy custard! It is a very popular dessert because, although it is syrupy, it is considered one of the rather light(ish) desserts of that kind

This recipe is dedicated to my dear husband, not only because it is his favourite Greek dessert, but also because I want to thank him for all his support and help he gives me with this blog

Greek Easter cookies

We have so many different recipes for cookies to choose from and I could not decide which one to post. In the end I chose this one which is a rather classic recipe and not so difficult to make

Greek Easter Tsoureki bread

This traditional semi-sweet bread is one of the many delicacies prepared for Easter time and the households around the country smell sooooo nicely on Holy Thursday when this bread is traditionally made. There are various versions of it (in different shapes as well) so its texture and taste differ a bit from recipe to recipe. Most versions include active yeast and there is a correlation between the tsoureki and Easter period. The recipe includes yeast and as we know when yeast is involved in a dough then the dough will rise again... Tsoureki needs patience and time to be prepared when yeast is involved. Some experience in bread making is needed as well so not so easy for those who are not familiar to this procedure but it is really worth the trouble. The version I'm giving you today is the one that we call "Smyrneiko" (from Smyrna) and it is one of those delicious recipes of the Greeks of Asia Minor, full of aroma and delicate spices

Labropsomo - Traditional Easter bread

This is a delicious Easter bread with a flavour and texture something between the classic bread and the Tsoureki. Traditional recipe from the Argolida region where they prepare the bread on Holy Thursday but they present it at the table of the Holy Saturday feast, after the Resurrection church service