Seven Greek recipes to mix and match a Mediterranean meal without repeating the same dishes
Greek cuisine heralds good weather, greets summer, shared outdoor tables and plates set in the center for snacking. It speaks of ripe tomatoes, feta cheese, dark olives, thick yogurt, roasted eggplant, fresh herbs and phyllo dough browning in the oven. It doesn't need big garnishes or fancy dressings. Its strength lies in that Mediterranean way of turning simple ingredients into something that invites you to enjoy the cleanest flavor of each product.
These seven recipes cover some of his most recognizable dishes: the moussaka oven, the freshness of the horiatiki, the yogurt with cucumber of the tzatziki, the wrapped and browned feta cheese, the spinach enclosed between very thin layers of dough, the stuffed pita bread and a dessert that takes the memory of the baklava to take it to the field of cheesecake.
Greek moussaka
Moussaka is the Greek dish that best understands the power of a well-treated eggplant. It is sliced, baked and assembled with minced lamb, tomato, onion, garlic, herbs and a touch of cinnamon. On top is a white sauce, very similar to the classic bechamel sauce which is gratinized until it forms that golden surface that is hard to resist.
It has something of lasagna, but only in appearance. Here it is not the pasta that rules, but the eggplant, the spiced meat and that mixture of vegetable sweetness and salty background that makes the dish work as a complete meal.
The recipe we offer below is not an orthodox Greek moussaka, but a domestic and simpler version: it keeps the idea and most of its characteristic flavors, but shortens the process to make it easier to take it to the kitchen at home.
A delicious mix, using grilled eggplants and lamb meat, all spiced with cinnamon and herbs.
Greek salad, horiatiki
Horiatiki doesn't need lettuce to be a great salad. Tomato, cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, black olives, feta, olive oil and oregano are enough to make one of Greece's most recognizable dishes.
Its secret lies in not trying to refine it too much. The vegetables are cut in generous pieces, the cheese is left with presence and the dressing accompanies without turning everything into a swimming pool. It is fresh, saline, intense and very direct: one of those salads to go around the world. One of those salads to go around the world without leaving the table.
Among all the composed salads we usually prepare, there is one that particularly captivates us: the Greek salad! Also known as 'Horiatiki', we love the ultra-fresh combination of tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, and of course feta, THE quintessential...
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a cold sauce that seems to be made to be always on hand. It is born from a simple mixture: Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, mint or dill, salt and pepper. But when the cucumber is well drained and the yogurt retains its density, the result is much more interesting than the list of ingredients.
It serves to fill a sandwich and make it more succulent, to accompany vegetables, to refresh meats or to complete a gyros. It brings freshness, mild acidity and that touch of garlic that is noticeable without displacing the rest.
A trip to Greece is on the horizon? You can't miss the famous tzatziki, or Greek cucumber dip :-) Today, we offer you a homemade version through a recipe so simple that it becomes foolproof! An opportunity to serve a sauce to your guests for the...
Feta saganaki with honey
Salty, sweet, melting and crumbly at the same time. Feta saganaki is a simple and very tasty recipe, perfect to serve as an appetizer and share in the center of the table. The cheese is wrapped in filo or brick dough, baked until golden brown and finished with honey and sesame seeds.
The grace is in the contrast: the feta retains its salty point, the honey softens it and the thin dough provides a light texture that breaks at the first cut. An easy starter, colorful and one of those that disappear quickly.
We prefer to warn you right away: this recipe is ULTRA addictive! A crispy marvel (thanks to the pastry sheets) and melting (thanks to the feta + honey combination). Serve as an aperitif or as a starter with some salad. Don't wait to try our recipe :...
Spanakopita
Spanakopita has that rare virtue of making spinach seem like a good idea from the first bite. The filling mixes spinach, feta, ricotta, egg, onion, garlic and pepper, and is wrapped between layers of filo dough brushed with olive oil. In the oven, the surface browns and breaks into thin slices, while the inside remains juicy and tasty.
In this recipe, the feta adds saltiness and character, while the ricotta softens the whole, a combination that reminds us how to choose the perfect cheese for every spinach dish. Perfect cheese for each spinach dish can change the can change the outcome. This Greek savory pie can be eaten hot, warm or cold. It serves as a main dish with a salad, but it also fits very well on a snack table, cut into portions and placed in the center to share.
Mediterranean cuisine is full of tasty and sunny recipes and today we are heading to Greece to discover a new specialty: Spanakopita ! This vegetarian spinach and feta pie will make the whole family love vegetables, a perfect mix between the...
Chicken gyros
Gyros is one of the most popular street foods in Greece. It is similar to a sandwich rolled in pita bread: inside it usually has roasted or sautéed meat, fresh vegetables and some sauce, usually tzatziki. Its name comes from the twist of the meat when cooked vertically, although at home it can be perfectly prepared in a frying pan.
The chicken version is one of the easiest to adapt: it is marinated with Greek yogurt, lemon, olive oil, oregano, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper, then served with cucumber, red onion, feta and fresh herbs. It is not uncommon for it to appear on any tour of iconic international sandwiches. Iconic international sandwiches, because it has everything because it has everything a well-rounded handheld meal calls for: tender bread, tasty filling, something fresh and a sauce that brings it all together. It can also be made with pork, lamb, smoked salmon, beef or, in a vegetable key, falafel, halloumi, mushrooms or roasted vegetables.
Let's travel to Greece today! Discover Chicken Gyros , the Greek sandwich that's sure to amaze you! This Mediterranean delight is made with marinated chicken, grilled to perfection, and served in a soft pita bread. Add to this a super-creamy...
Pistachio cheesecake inspired by baklava
This recipe is not a classic baklava, and that should be said from the start. It is a cheesecake inspired by it: it takes phyllo dough, pistachio, honey and syrup, and takes them into creamier territory.
The buttery phyllo base brings back the memory of the Greek sweet; the cheese, cream and egg filling gives it body; the pistachio and honey top it all off. It is an intense dessert, with the sweetness of honey, the perfume of nuts and the creaminess of a cheesecake.
This pistachio baklava cheesecake combines the classic flavors of oriental cuisine with traditional ingredients such as filo sheets, honey and roasted pistachios . With its three layers, this recipe is an explosion of flavors and textures. Follow...
Patricia González
Comments