Carrot Spoon Sweet with almonds

I told you.... didn't I? that we use almost everything in the fruit and vegetable kingdom when it comes to the spoon sweets and jams.... Well here is another example of this (good) obesession of ours. Such a common (and quite boring to many) vegetable which can be transformed into a very tasty spoon sweet

Braised beef in tomato sauce with potatoes and courgettes

This is a real classic Summer dish! A recipe that most mothers like to cook on Sundays. The courgettes are in their season and they make such a tasteful combination with the potatoes and the beef

Yellow split peas mash (Greek Fava) with tomato

What we call in Greece "Fava" it is the Yellow split peas using them for this tasty dip/spread. On the other hand what abroad people call "Fava beans" in Greek is "Koukia"... and we do use them but for totally different dishes. I wanted to explain this because if you visit Greece and see in a menu the dish "Fava" don't expect to eat the green (or dried) fava beans. So, the Greek fava is a dish which can be found in different versions around the country with the most popular version from Santorini island. It is, though, a popular dish in other Balkan countries and in the Middle East. It is a nice, spicy (or not) dish which it can be served along with other meze dishes and crispy pitta breads

Greek Moussakas

Well, I think the introductions about this dish are not necessary... Moussakas is probably the most famous Greek dish around the globe, so what else can I add on the subject? Unless.... if I give you a few more details about it and try to explain a bit of its history. First of all, few people know that the word "moussakas" is Arabic and means "cold food/dish"! On the title of the recipe I mention "Greek moussakas" because there are versions from other countries which are very different from the recipe we know and follow in Greece. In Greece most households follow the version of ground beef / aubergines / potatoes in layers... The version with the potatoes is not really the authentic one because potato was not known yet in this side of the world and later on never really managed to "invade" in such traditional recipes. On the other hand, there is a dish in Syria with the same name where they use only courgettes and potatoes instead of aubergines... In Turkey, moussakas is made with ground beef or lamb and aubergines and in some areas with courgettes. There is another version, deep in the Asian side of Turkey, where the food is cooked in a saucepan and not in the oven and besides the meat and the aubergines they also add chickpeas... As for Lebanon.... well over there what they call "moussaka" is a dish with layers of aubergines, tomato sauce and raisins! As you can see in all the versions I mentioned above you don't see any trace of béchamel sauce on the top.... What they used to put on top was a mixture of yogurt and eggs or a mixture of beaten eggs with some grated cheese. Who knew those days what béchamel sauce means and what more it could offer to an already delicious dish?? Apparently the French educated chef of one of the Sultans during the Ottoman period had the thought to add on the top of the dish this tasty sauce and here we are..... But I don't want to confuse you even more. I'm giving you the most common version for moussaka in Greece and the one that most of the foreigners have tasted when visiting Greece

Classic biftekia - The Greek burgers

"Biftekia" are quiet similar to keftedes (meatballs) but at the same time they are different in more than one thing. First of all the size and the shape, they should be bigger and usually in an oblong shape. Also the herbs we put in the traditional biftekia are different than those in the "keftedes". So, if you are Greek (and if you really know your stuff) you can distinguish the differences immediately. There is a classic recipe, but again, from region to region or even from household to household you can see variations of the recipe. You can find the biftekia plain or stuffed with cheese, grilled, fried or baked. You can even have them with a fried egg on top! Anyway, regardless the version, biftekia are delicious and the fact that they are so versatile (regarding the method of cooking and the ingredients) makes them a very popular dish for every season. The version I'm giving you today is the one my mother follows for years and it is the one that I prefer as well (not because it is my mother's but simply because we like it a lot). It doesn't mean, though, that this is the "correct" recipe. In my opinion there is a difference between "biftekia" and "keftedes" and so it should be! But, although there is a common guideline regarding the biftekia recipe, it is always up to you to adjust it according to your preferences

Karydata - Cookies with walnuts

Their name in Greek is "Karydata" (karydi=walnut). They are delicious and fluffy little biscuit/cookie type of thing and so easy to make at home because of the simple ingredients. Their aroma is something else!