Category: pasta

INGREDIENTS

• 500 gr thick macaroni
• 1 kg minced meat
• 3 eggs
• 180 gr grated kefalo or Parmesan cheese
• 100 gr oil
• 1 medium sized onion
• 500 gr ripe tomatoes
• 1 portion béchamel sauce
• salt
• pepper

METHOD
Partially cook the macaroni in salted water and drain well. Put in a baking dish and pour half of the butter over the macaroni. Beat the egg whites and mix in the macaroni. Keep the yolks.They will be used to make the bechamel sauce. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. With the remaining butter brown the minced meat and the onion. Add the strained tomatoes or the tomatopaste, salt, pepper and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and add the remaining grated cheese. Stir all well. Prepare the béchamel sauce. Butter a baking dish. Lay half of the macaroni in the pan. Spread evenly with the meat mixture. Lay the rest of the macaroni on top. Pour the bechamel sauce over them and sprinkle with grated cheese and some melted butter. Bake in a moderate oven.

Category: meat
Calorie information: Moussaka (serving), 670 calories

INGREDIENTS

• 700 gr. (1 ½ lb.) shoulder of lamb(boneless weight)
• 700 gr. (1 ½ lb.) aubergines
• 175 gr. (6 oz.) onions
• 225 gr. (½ lb.) tomatoes
• 150 ml. (Ό pt.) olive oil
• 5 ml. (1 teaspoon) ground allspice
• 15 ml. (1 tablespoon) choppedparsley
• 425 ml. (Ύ pt.) bιchamel sauce
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Coating

• 1 large egg
• large pinch grated nutmeg
• 75 gr. (3 oz.) Cheddar cheese

METHOD
Wipe, top and tail, but do not peel the aubergines. Cut them into slices about 6 mm. (Ό in.) thick. Put into a colander with a light sprinkling of salt between the layers and leave to drain for half an hour. Peel and slice the onions; peel, de-seed and chop the tomatoes. When ready to cook, pat the aubergine slices dry with paper. Heat 45 ml. (3 tbsp.) oil in a frying pan over a low heat and, when hot, fry the aubergine slices gently until tender, in batches, turning once. Lift out and drain on absorbent paper. Add extra oil between batches as necessary. When all are fried, make the oil in the pan up to 30 ml. again. When this is hot, fry the onions gently for about 5 minutes, until soft and pale gold. Add the meat and fry. Add the tomatoes, allspice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, cover and cook very gently for 25 to 20 minutes. Heat oven to 180-C. (350 F.), gas mark 4. In a deep, ovenproof dish, arrange alternate layers of aubergines and meat, finishing with aubergines. Warm the sauce over a low heat. Separate the egg and, off the heat, stir the yolk, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste, into the sauce. Reserve the egg white for use in another dish. Pour the sauce evenly over the surface of the dish. Grate the cheese over the sauce. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.

The popularity of “Moussaka” has deservedly spread. It is a delicious combination of meat, vegetables and a thick, rich sauce. It’s the most traditional Greek dish and also absolutely delicious!

Category: meat
Calorie information: Frikasse of Lamb (serving), 660 calories

INGREDIENTS

• Two large KOS LETTUCE or HARDlettuces
• Six lamb chops
• Some olive oil
• Fresh dill
• Four eggs
• Juice from two lemons
• Two sliced onions

METHOD
Put the oil in a pot and cook the onion slices until soft. Put the salted lamb chops in the hot oil, and brown both sides. Clean the lettuce leafs with water and without removing all the water from them, place them over the lamb chops. Add the fresh dill, cover, and let cook turning the lamb chops over (medium/high setting). When the lettuce is cooked (should be very soft and look wilted) and the lamb chops feel very soft (about 30-40 minutes), remove from the fire and let cool for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, mix the eggs using a mixer and slowly add the lemon juice. Using a ladle, pick up some of the juice from the pot and add to the eggs/lemon mixture while the mixer is continually beating them. Keep on adding the juice until most of it is in the egg mixture (which by this time should be the same temperature as the pot). Empty the egg mixture into the pot and using a big wooden spoon, mix them vigorously to avoid curdling.

Category: vegetables & pulses     
Calorie information: Stuffed tomatoes with rice (serving), 350 calories

INGREDIENTS

• 6 - 8 servings
• 8 medium tomatoes
• 8 medium peppers
• 4 medium potatoes
• 2 cups rice
• 3 onions
• mint
• parsley
• 1 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• Optionally: Raisins, minced meat.

METHOD
Slice-off the top of the tomatoes and the peppers. Use a spoon to remove the inside part of the tomatoes and the peppers. Try to leave the empty tomatoes as thin as possible but be careful not to damage their skin. Save the inside parts of the tomatoes you have removed. They will be used for the stuffing. Mash them with a blender and mix half of the tomatoe mash with the rice the onions (chopped), the mint and the parsley. Cook the stuffing with olive oil. Add salt and pepper as desired. Do not overcook the stuffing. The rice should not be soft. It will soften later in the oven. Stuff the tomatoes and the peppers and lid them with their tops. Place them in a pan, surround them with the potatoes (sliced) and pour the rest of the tomatoe mash. Add olive oil and bake for about 1 1/2 hour in a medium oven . Add water if required during baking.
Optionally: You can add raisins in the stuffing if you desire. Also, alternatively you can stuff tomatoes and peppers with some minced meat. Try to experiment and create to stuffings, one with rice and one with minced meat and fill half of the tomatoes and peppers with each stuffing.

For the alternative stuffing just replace rice with minced meat.

Category: vegetables & pulses     

INGREDIENTS

• 18 large zucchini blossoms
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 onion, finley sliced
• 3 spoons parsley, finely chopped
• 3 spoons freh mint, chooped
• 1 tomato, peeled cut in small pieces
• 70 ml olive oil
• 150 ml water
• Salt
• Pepper

METHOD
Wash the zucchini blossoms and drain them. Use a bowl to mix the rice with the oil the tomato the parsley, the onion and the mint. Stir well and start stuffing the zucchini blossoms, one by one, using a small teaspoon. Be carefull not to damage the blossoms. Do not overstuff the blossoms as the rice gains more size when it is boiled. Place the stuffed blossoms into a saucepan, add water and cover. Simmer until rice is cooked. Check water if more is required.

Category:vegetables & pulses     
INGREDIENTS
·         18 large zucchini blossoms
·         1 cup long-grain white rice
·         1 onion, finley sliced
·         3 spoons parsley, finely chopped
·         3 spoons freh mint, chooped
·         1 tomato, peeled cut in small pieces
·         70 ml olive oil
·         150 ml water
·         Salt
·         Pepper

METHOD
Wash the zucchini blossoms and drain them. Use a bowl to mix the rice with the oil the tomato the parsley, the onion and the mint. Stir well and start stuffing the zucchini blossoms, one by one, using a small teaspoon. Be carefull not to damage the blossoms. Do not overstuff the blossoms as the rice gains more size when it is boiled. Place the stuffed blossoms into a saucepan, add water and cover. Simmer until rice is cooked. Check water if more is required.

Category: vegetables & pulses     
Calorie information: Artichokes a la polita, 390 calories

INGREDIENTS

• 8 artichokes
• 1/2 kilo potatoes
• 5 carrots
• juice from 2-3 lemons
• 4 spring onions
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1 bunch of fresh dill or 3 tablespoons dried dill
• salt
• pepper

METHOD
Slice the stem of the artichokes and remove the outer leaves. Rub each artichoke with the lemon and put all of them in bowl full of water. Cut the potatoes and the spring onions in medium sized slices. Slice the carrots and saute them together with the spring onions in a saucepan with the oil. Add the artichokes and the potatoes, the dill, the lemon juice, salt, pepper and enough water to cover them. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hour.
If you want the "sauce" to be thick, you can mix a small teaspoon of cornflour in 1/4 cup (60 ml) water, add it and allow it to cook for another 5 minutes.

Category: meat     
Calorie information: Stuffed vineleaves with rice and meat (serving), 350 calories

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. white rice
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. dry mint
• 1 T. butter, softened
• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley
• dill, if convenient
• 3-4 T. lemon juice
• salt
• pepper
• water, if needed

For the avgolemono sauce (egg-lemon dressing)

• 1 egg
• 3-4 T. lemon juice
• corn starch

METHOD
Knead all ingredients in a bowl. If the consistency is too hard, add water, one tablespoon at a time (up to 4 T.). Grape leaves are best picked from Grape Vines in the Spring, while they are still tender. They can be washed and frozen between layers of waxed paper and will keep for a year. They are also available in jars from some fruit markets (especially ones that carry a lot of Greek/Italian imported foods). Depending on the size, you will need 20 to 40 grape leaves (Fila - pronounced fee'-lah). Small leaves tend to be more tender. Boil grape leaves until they are soft, but not tender. The time will depend on the leaves. Fresh ones will only take a minute. Fold grape leaves around small spoonfulls of meat mixture, sealing completely. In a large pot (preferably one with a large surface area on the bottom), melt 1/2 stick (4 T.) butter. Arrange rolled dolmades on top. Do this all at once, not as you roll them. Pour 3-4 cups water or chicken broth over dolmades, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.

AVGOLEMONO (egg-lemon dressing)
Separate egg. Whisk egg white mixed with 1 tsp. water; add yolk and mix. Add corn starch (she gave no measurement) to lemon juice and stir; add to egg mixture. Skim broth off dolmades (it is now a chicken/beef broth and should be greatly reduced because of the rice) and add 1 T. at a time to the egg mixture, whisking well. Egg mixture should thicken. Remove dolmades from heat. Arrange dolmades in a bowl for serving. Mix remaining broth into egg-lemon mixture. Stir well and pour over dolmades.

Category: meat     

INGREDIENTS

4-6 servings

• 1 kg of meat (veal, pork)
• 300 gr cheese (kefalotyri, gouda, etc)
• 1 wine glass olive oil
• 1 wine glass black wine
• 1 carrot, cut in thin slices
• 2-3 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large green pepper, cut in thin slices
• oregano
• Salt
• Pepper

Optionally: Use a whole chicken, instead of meat. Add some freshtomato if you desire. Serve with fried potatoes or rice (boiled into the remaining stock).

METHOD
Wash the meat and slice it. Mix the meat, the cheese and the vegetables and place them into a heat - proof crock - pot. Add salt, pepper and oregano, the olive oil and the wine. Cover the crock - pot and bake for 1 hour in high temperature and for 1 hour in medium temperature.

Category: meat     
Calorie information: Stuffed eggplants with minced meat (serving), 590 calories

INGREDIENTS
Serves six.

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 lb. minced meat
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (what ever greekhard cheese you can get)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tspns dry breadcrumbs
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 1/4 lbx aubergine (about 12)
• 2 tspns salt
• 1 cup bechamel sauce (check HEREour recipe)
• 1/2 tspns pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

METHOD
Brown onions and meat lightly in butter, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook covered for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add parsley, egg, 1/4 cup cheese and bread crumbs. On the 'top' of each aubergine, peel an inch strip from one end to the other and make an incision along strip to within an inch of each end. Place in baking dish and bake in moderate oven (about 350F) until soft and light brown (about 30-45 minutes). Insert knife blade into incision and stuff with meat mixture. Prepare bechamel sauce. Pour about a tablespoon on top of each aubergine. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and dot with butter. If desired, add tomato sauce to the pan. Bake in a moderate oven for about 35 minutes.

Category: fish & seafood     
Calorie information: Squid (fried, serving), 326 calories

INGREDIENTS

• 700 gr. Squid
• juice of 1 lemon
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• a little oregano
• 60 gr flour
• salt

METHOD
Prepare the squid, rinse them, and drain in a colander for 1 hour. o Deep-fry them as long as the oil is not too hot (about 350 grades F / 80 grades C is the right temperature). 1) Put the flour with salt in a plate, mix well and add half of the pieces of squid, but leave the tentacles for the end. 2) Turn them in the flour, then lift a few pieces up at a time, shake excess flour off and drop them in the hot oil. 3) When they turn a nice golden color lift them out with a slotted spoon. 4) At the end sprinkle the lemon juice all over, some oregano, and serve immediately.