greek recipes

do you like greek food try some of these :-)


greek recipes

Keftedakia (Mint and Ouzo Flavored Meatballs)
2 slices home-made style bread, trimmed of crust and torn into small pieces
1/4 cup ouzo (or substitute another anise- flavored liqueur)
7 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 lb lean ground beef
1 egg
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh mint leaves, or 1 tsp dried mint leaves
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour

Soak the bread in the ouzo for at least 5 mins. Heat 3 Tbs of the olive
oil in a skillet over moderate heat, add the onions, and cook for 5
mins, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not brown. Remove the
onions with a slotted spoon, placing them in a large mixing bowl.
Squeeze the bread dry (discard the ouzo) and add the bread to the
onions. Also add the ground beef, egg, mint, garlic, oregano, salt,
pepper, and knead vigorously with your hands, then beat with a wooden
spoon until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Shape the beef mixture
into balls about the size of walnuts (you may find that wetting your
hands with water helps prevent sticking) and then roll the meatballs in
the flour to coat evenly. Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet and
refrigerate for at least one hour. Add the remaining 4 Tbs of olive oil
to a large skillet and brown the meatballs, 7 or 8 at a time, over high
heat, cooking 8 to 10 mins and shaking the pan from time to time. As
each batch is done, remove them with a slotted spoon and place on an
ovenproof serving platter. Keep them warm in a 200F oven while you
finish cooking the rest. Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer or first course
(about 30 meatballs).

Chick Pea Soup
4 cups dried chick peas (garbanzos) or
4 15-oz cans, drained
Water or chicken stock (about 4 cups)
2 Tbs baking soda
2-3 onions, chopped
1 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon slices for garnish

Soak the beans overnight in warm water. Strain and dust with baking
soda. Let stand for 15 mins. Rinse with hot water and rub a few at a
time between your fingers to remove the skins (discard the skins). Place
in strainer and rinse thoroughly for several mins. Put into a large pot
along with enough water or chicken stock to cover and bring to a boil,
skimming off the foam as it rises. Add the onions, oil, salt and pepper
and simmer covered until the beans split; about 90 min. to 2 hrs. Serve
hot with lemon slices. Serves 6 to 8.

Rice Pilaf with Glazed Tomatoes
2 cups raw rice
4 cups chicken broth or water
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, washed and stems removed
1/4 lb plus 1 Tbs
butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar

Butter a baking dish with 1 Tbs butter and put the tomatoes in it. Melt
the remaining butter and pour it over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the
sugar and bake in a 350F oven for 20 to 25 mins. Meanwhile, bring the
broth or water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and stir. Cover,
reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes or until the rice is done. Do
not stir or even open the pot during these 15 mins. Pack rice into a
ring mold and turn out of the mold onto a platter. Fill the center with
the baked tomatoes and pour the sauce from the tomatoes over the rice.
Serves 4 to 6.

Pork and Celery Avgolemono
4 1/2 to 5 lbs celery with leaves cut into 1-inch pieces 3 lbs pork cut
into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup butter
3 medium onions, chopped
2 lemons, juice only
2 eggs
1 Tbs cornstarch (cornflour)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large pot and
brown the pork lightly over high heat, stirring frequently. Add the
onions and cook 10 to 15 mins until soft but not browned. Add enough
water to barely cover the meat. Cover and cook over low heat for about 1
hr. Add the celery and cook another 30 mins, until the celery is tender
and only about 1 cup of liquid remains. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Mix the
cornstarch in 1/4 cup water and add to the eggs. Add the lemon juice and
beat the mixture well. Temper the sauce by slowly adding some of the hot
liquid from the meat to the egg-lemon mixture, beating it in thoroughly.
Pour the egg-lemon mixture over the meat and shake the pan gently over
low heat until the sauce thickens. DO NOT BOIL. Serve immediately.
Serves 6 to 8.

Walnut Baklava
4 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups melted butter
1 1/2 lbs phyllo
The syrup
4 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups honey
1 cinnamon stick
5 to 6 whole cloves

Mix together the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Select a pan the size of
the phyllo sheets and brush well with melted butter. Use 4 sheets of
phyllo for the bottom layer, brushing each one with butter before adding
the next, and top with a sheet of unbuttered phyllo. Sprinkle with a
handful of the walnut mixture. Cover with a buttered sheet, an
unbuttered sheet, and another sprinkling of walnuts. Repeat until the
ingredients are used up, reserving 5 sheet of phyllo for the top layer.
Brush each of the top 5 sheets with ample butter, and pour the remaining
butter over the top of the last sheet. Trim the edges if necessary, and
cut the baklava into the traditional diamond pattern. Do not cut through
the bottom layer. Sprinkle the top of the baklava lightly with water
from your fingertips. Bake in a pre-heated 250F for about 1 hr. Remove
from oven and cool. For the syrup, combine the sugar and water in a
large pot and boil for 5 mins. Add the honey, cinnamon stick and cloves,
and boil for 5 mins more. Pour the hot syrup over the cooled baklava. Do
not pour over a hot baklava, it will turn soggy. Cool then cut through
the bottom layer of phyllo following the previous cuts.