Have you ever had loukoumades before? If you are Greek, definitely! If you have visited a Greek church festival, surely! Well this is the sourdough homemade version! Some folks call them Greek baby donuts. My yiayia Anneta, who this blog is inspired by was the person who made them a staple of our childhood. They … Continue reading Loukoumades
Moussaka is one of the most popular Greek dishes by far. It is layers of potatoes, eggplant, cinnamon infused meat sauce & creamy béchamel sauce. Some cooks also add sliced zucchini. There are similar versions of it all over the Balkans and in the Middle East, making it a beloved dish shared among many nations. … Continue reading Moussaka
Lamb Klephtiko is a legendary Greek dish that at least dates back to the days of the Ottoman occupation of Greece. The klephts were Greek warriors who fought the Ottoman Turks to free Greece from 400 years of occupation, or “sklavia”, which we considered to be slavery. So that they would not be detected up … Continue reading Lamb Klephtiko
Portokalopita is a traditional Greek orange cake. The concept is similar to that of bread pudding, where you make a custard and bake soaked stale bread. However, you use phyllo dough that you dehydrate in the oven, so no flour is needed. It also uses the whole orange, so you will boil that orange in … Continue reading Portokalopita- Greek Orange Cake
One of my favorite types of Greek pastry dough is this savory kourou. It is based in yogurt and olive oil with a bit of grated cheese in it. The dough comes together in nearly five minutes. And of course you can fill them with anything you like. I filled these with feta, kasseri & … Continue reading Tiropita Kouro – shortcrust cheese pies
Have you ever heard of ladopita? This is a traditional dessert that stems from the Greek island of Lefkada. It means olive oil pie. A handful of simple ingredients, and sweetened with a combination of honey and sugar, and simply spiced with a cinnamon stick. This is one of those beautiful old world desserts, that … Continue reading Leta’s Ladopita -from Lefkada
Galaktoboureko is one of those gorgeous, decadent & delicious Greek desserts that are based in a semolina custard and are phyllo wrapped. It is drenched in a lemon honey simple syrup, which is spiced with a little cinnamon & clove. Our family friend, Eleni would make this for holidays and hers was absolutely superb! We … Continue reading Galaktoboureko
Rizogalo! Nearly every Greeks favorite simply made “mommy” food. Possibly the epitome of homey comfort. I have the best memories of my mother making this late at night & then finding bowls cinnamon dusted rizogalo on the kitchen counter! Rizogalo, or rice pudding, has been known as a Greek favorite food all the way to … Continue reading Rizogalo-Greek Rice Pudding
This one is for my vegan friends, and for those who fast for Lent leading up to Easter. This is one of my favorite cookies growing up in NYC, where Greek bake shops are everywhere! One of the best parts of living in Queens was how exposed to our Greek culture I was able to … Continue reading Moustokouloura-Greek Grape Molasses Cookies
There is a huge misconception that the falafel that you find in Middle Eastern cuisine should be lumped together into Greek cuisine. I am here to tell you that it isn’t. In some parts of the Aegean, you will find revithokeftedes, or chickpea fritters. However, they are simply not the same thing as falafel. We … Continue reading Revithokeftedes – Chickpea Fritters
on xenia street 