Greek Recipes

Fried Cheese

Saganaki is a two-handled shallow skillet much used in the Greek kitchen. It is a useful pan that can be used to fry dishes before finishing them off in the oven. When “Saganaki” style dishes appear on menus, it usually means that either shrimp or mussels are cooked with tomato sauce and feta cheese. See our Greek recipe for Shrimp Saganaki. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

10 oz kefalotiri cheese, cut into 1/4 inch slices
All-purpose flour for dredging
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, cut into quarters

Preparation:

Dredge the cheese slices in the flour. Heat the oilve oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the cheese slices on both sides until browned. Squeeze lemon juice over the cheese in the skillet and serve immediately. Or, remove to a plate and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Servings – 4 to 6

Stuffed Vine Leaves

When served as a meze(appetizer), vine leaves are usually simply stuffed with rice, tomatoes and herbs. Some recipes also call for pine nuts and raisins. As a more substantial main course, minced meat is added to the stuffing and the dolmades are then served with a tangy thick covering of avgolemono sauce. Enjoy this easy Greek recipe!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh or dried mint
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
40 vine leaves, preferably fresh, otherwise preserved in brine

Preparation – Filling:

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the onions for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Add the rice and mint and saute for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir the mixture well. Allow to cool slightly.

Preparation – Vine Leaves:

If using fresh leaves, blanch each leaf for a few seconds in a saucepan of boiling water, refresh under cold water and drain on a tea towel. If using pickled leaves, place them in a colander, drain off any excess brine, rinse well under warm water and drain on a tea towel. Lay out each vine leaf on a flat surface and place a heaping teaspoon of rice stuffing in the center of each leaf. Do not overstuff, otherwise leaves will split as the rice expands when cooking. Fold the sides of the leaf over the stuffing, then roll tightly into a package. Line a large saucepan with extra vine leaves to stop the dolmades from sticking to the bottom.

Place the dolmades in a circle at the bottom of the saucepan, making sure they are tightly packed. Pack in 2 layers if necessary. Add water to just cover them, and place a weighted plate on top. Simmer for 40 minutes until cooked. Serve either hot or cold with Greek-style yogurt and tomato sauce as dipping sauces.

Servings – 6 to 8

Greek – Strapatsada

This Greek recipe dish is served throughout Greece in the summer months when ripe tomatoes are plentiful. It is also delicious served cold.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp sugar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs, beaten

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook the mixture for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the mixture has reduced to a thick consistency. Add the eggs and stir constantly until set. Serve immediately in the pan or transfer to a dish.

Servings – 2

Roast Lamb with Lemon Potatoes

In Greece, no special celebration is complete without a whole spit-roasted lamb. The Easter fast is always broken with a feast of roast lamb, potatoes and green salad. For city dwellers unable to spit-roast outdoors, a tapsi (round roasting pan) is used in the oven instead. The free-range goat in Greece is delicious, more delicate in flavor than that available in the West. I hope you enjoy this Greek Recipe!

Greek – Arni sto fourno

Ingredients:

3-4 lb leg of lamb
2 lemons
Salt
Frshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
4 lbs potatoes, peeled and quartered
2/3 whole head garlic, unpeeled
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup water

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the lamb in a large roasting pan. Rub with half a lemon and sprinkle with salt, pepper and the oregano. Place the potatoes and garlic around the meat and salt them lightly. Drizzle the olive oil over the meat and potatoes.

Combine the juice of the remaining lemons with the water and pour over the potatoes. Roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. To serve, allow to rest for 10 minutes, then carve onto plates and serve with the potatoes, garlic cloves and some of the roasting juices as gravy.

Servings – 6

Greek Bean Soup

This classic Greek vegetarian soup is simple to make. Served with plenty of crusty bread, it makes a perfect dish for a large imprompu party.

Greek – Fasolada

Ingredients:

1 lb dried white beans
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 sticks celery, strings removed and sliced
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
(or 1 15 oz can peeled tomatoes)
2 tbsp tomato paste
5 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Drain the beans and place in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil, skimming off any froth with a slotted spoon. Add all the other ingresients except the seasonings, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Allow to cool slightly, season with salt and pepper, and ladle into bowls.

Servings: 6 – 8