GREEK LAMB WITH POTATOES & OLIVES

Ingredients
800g medium-size potatoes, skin on, thinly sliced
4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 aubergine, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp oregano leaves, plus extra for sprinkling
85g pitted Kalamata olives, halved
5 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
100g feta cheese, crumbled

4 lamb steaks

Preparation
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Layer up half the potato, tomato and aubergine in a baking dish, scattering with garlic, oregano and olives, and drizzling with oil and seasoning as you go.
Scatter over the feta, then repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up. Finish with potatoes and a little oil.

Bake for 50 mins or until the veg are tender (cover with foil if they’re getting too brown). Top with the lamb steaks, rubbing with a little more oil and seasoning. Bake for 15-20 mins more until the lamb is cooked. Allow to rest and cool a bit before scattering with oregano and serving with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Source:bbcgoodfood.com

BAKLAVA ROLLS

Ingredients

Filling

Ingredients
1/2 lb Walnuts, finely chopped
2 1/2 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/8 ts Ground Cloves
Phyllo

Ingredients
1 lb Phyllo Dough
3/4 lb Unsalted Butter, melted
Syrup

Ingredients
1 1/2 c Water
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 1/2 c Sugar
2 ts Lemon Juice
1/2 c Honey


Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first four ingredients together for filling. Combine syrup ingredients and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture turns syrupy. Set aside to cool. Remove cinnamon stick before using.
Unfold phyllo. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut phyllo sheets crosswise, into thirds.
Cover phyllo not being used with a barely damp towel.
Using two pieces of phyllo – phyllo sheets are so thin they must be doubled – and keeping narrow ends towards you, brush with butter.
Place 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons filling 1/4 inch from end nearest you, to within 1/4 inch of sides.
Fold long sides in 1/4 inch.
Fold over bottom to cover filling.
Place a clean pencil on top of fold and roll into a cigar-like cylinder.
Push both ends toward center and remove pencil.
Place roll on cookie sheet and generously brush with butter.
Repeat with remaining filling and phyllo.
Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Dip hot rolls into cooled syrup – kitchen tongs work well for this.
Place onto a platter to cool.

Cover and refrigerate. Can be frozen.

Source:greek-recipe.com

SPETSOFAI-SAUSAGES WITH BELL PEPPERS

Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
2 bell peppers, sliced into long strips
14oz can of diced tomatoes
1 pound of your preferred sausage (normally around 5 sausages)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper

Preparation
In an oiled pan, add sausages and bell peppers, cook until sausages turn light brown.
Next, add diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
Cook uncovered over medium heat for 15-20min, or until sausages are cooked and sauce has thickened a bit*
Add sausage(s) to plate, top with onion/pepper mixture
Serve!


*If sausages are done and sauce is too watery, use a slotted spoon when plating and add liquid as needed.

Source:greekfood.about.com

FRIED STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Ingredients
20 – 25 zucchini blossoms
250 gr feta cheese
100 gr of ricotta cheese
3 eggs
salt
pepper
dill
olive oil for frying
500 gr flour

1 glass of water

Preparation

Grate the feta and ricotta cheese.
Add them into a bowl together with 2 of the eggs.
Add dill and pepper.
Mix all the ingredients well.
Mix the flour, the glass of water, the remaining egg and some salt.
Wash each zucchini well and fill it with one spoonful of the filling.
Dip one by one into the batter.

Fry the zucchini blossoms in both sides in hot olive oil.

Source:greek-recipe.com

SOFRITO FROM CORFU

Ingredients
1kg boneless beef fillets (leg part preferred)
1 onion, finely cut
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1 glass of white wine
Rosemary
Marjoram
2 bunches of parsley
Salt
Pepper
Flour for coating the fillets

Olive oil for frying

Preparation
Coat the fillets with flour and fry slightly on both sides.
Add olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion.
Add rosemary, marjoram, garlic and white wine.
Cut the stems of both the parsley bunches, tie them and add them in the saucepan.
Add meat fillets and simmer until the sauce thickens and meat is tender.
Remove parsley stems from the saucepan.
Serve meat in a platter and pour the sauce over them.
Cut the parsley leaves finely and dredge them over the fillets.

Serve fillets with mashed potato or rice...Enjoy!

Source: greek-recipe.com

FISHERMAN'S PASTA (Makaronatha tou Psara)

Ingredients
1/2 pound of squid, cut in small pieces
1/2 pound of octopus or cuttlefish, cut in small pieces
10 - 12 mussels in the shell, washed and trimmed (optional)
1/2 pound of shelled mussels
10 - 12 cockles in the shell, washed
15 medium or medium-large shrimp, shelled and deveined, with or without heads
2 small hot red peppers, chopped (more if desired)
1 bay leaf
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, minced
2/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of brandy
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, finely chopped (or 3 cups grated ripe tomatoes)
2 teaspoons of salt
cayenne pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds of penne pasta (or other pasta of your choice)
3-4 cups of water

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation
In a large skillet or dutch over, sauté the garlic and onion in hot oil. When the onion softens, add squid and octopus or cuttlefish and hot peppers, and cook for 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Stir in brandy. Add the tomato and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add bay leaf, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add water slowly, stir, and cook for 40 minutes.
10-12 minutes before time is up, add all the mussels (in and out of shells) and cockles. 5 minutes before time is up, add the shrimp. Turn off heat and cover. Boil the pasta according to package directions and drain. Toss pasta with the sauce and transfer to a large platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Source:greekfood.about.com

GREEK MYZITHRA CHEESECAKE RECIPE

Ingredients
2 pounds of unsalted, fresh myzithra (or other white whey cheese)
1/2 pound of butter or margarine, softened
2 1/4 cups of sugar
1 cup of golden seedless raisins
1 tablespoon of brandy
6 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
6 eggs, separated
juice and grated peel of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups of crushed almonds
----------
For the topping:
confectioner's sugar

ground cinnamon

Preparation
First steps:

Mash the cheese well with a fork.
Soak the raisins in the brandy for 20 minutes.
Beat egg whites to stiff peak stage.
Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C).


In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter (or margarine) with the sugar and egg yolks. In order, beat in cheese, crushed almonds, cornstarch, salt, vanilla, lemon juice and peel, and the raisins and brandy. Fold in the stiff egg whites last.Pour into a greased baking pan and bake at 355°F (180°C) for 50 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a knife into the cake. It should come out dry.

Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, then a  little cinnamon


Source:greekfood.about.com