15 random greek recipes

In this article we present you 15 random greek inspired recipes

greek salad
greek salad

Greek-Style Penne with Fresh Tomatoes, Feta and Dill

For this warm-weather dish, a salsa cruda ? la Grec – or uncooked Greek-style sauce – is combined with hot pasta and served at once. Be sure to use the ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find, preferably from a farmers’ market or your own backyard.

4 to 6 servings.

2 pounds tomatoes, halved, seeded, chopped
1 cup chopped green onions (white and pale green parts only)
7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces penne pasta

Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Set tomato mixture aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Add hot pasta to tomato mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

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Greek-Style Lasagna

Serves 4.

9 lasagna noodles
8 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 (10 ounce) package frozen, chopped spinach, squeezed dry
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, divided
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a medium baking dish with vegetable cooking spray; set aside.

Cook noodles according to package directions, but do not add salt. Drain.

Meanwhile, spray a medium nonstick skillet with vegetable cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add beef and onion. Cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Place mixture on a paper towel-lined plate; drain.

In a medium bowl, combine spinach, ricotta cheese, feta cheese, olives and 2 tablespoons mint. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in prepared dish. Top with 3 noodles. Spread some spinach mixture over noodles. Top with some beef mixture. Spoon 1/4 cup tomato sauce over beef mixture. Continue layering with remaining noodles, spinach mixture, beef mixture, and sauce. Cover with foil. Bake until filling is heated through, about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining mint. Serve immediately.

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Greek Spaghetti

12 ounces spaghetti
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
Garlic powder or mashed garlic cloves

Burn butter until golden. Add garlic powder or crushed cloves and serve over cooked, drained spaghetti.

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Kourambiethes (Greek Butter Cookies)

1 cup soft butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract*
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Whole cloves
Confectioners? sugar

In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, sugar, egg yolks and extracts until light and fluffy. Add flour and nuts. Mix well with hands. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. With hands, shape each half into a 16-inch long roll. Cut each roll into 16 pieces, then shape into balls. Press a whole clove into each piece. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown.

Remove cookies to a wire rack and sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar while still warm. Cool. Before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar again.

* 2 teaspoons ouzo (anise-flavored liqueur) or brandy or may be substituted for the vanilla extract.

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Melomacarina (Greek Cookies)

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 to 5 cups flour

Beat margarine, sugar and oil. Add baking powder and beat well. Add baking soda to orange juice and stir until foamy, then add to first mixture. Beat well. Add flour ? as much as is needed to form cookies. Knead by hand and form cookies in oblong shape. Bake at 375 degrees F on ungreased cookie sheet. When slightly brown on the bottom, remove from oven to let cool.

When cooled, dip cookies in 1/2 honey and 1/2 water which has been brought to a boil. Do this one at a time. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and sprinkle of cinnamon. Makes about 70 delicious cookies!

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Moussaka

1 large eggplant
1 pound ground beef or lamb
Vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 1/4 cups canned tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
2 egg whites
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Pare eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Brown meat in vegetable oil with onions and garlic. Drain off the fat. Add salt, seasonings, parsley, tomatoes and wine. Cover and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Cool. Mix in unbeaten egg whites and half of the crumbs. Brown the eggplant slices in vegetable oil. Sprinkle bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with remaining crumbs. Cover with the eggplant. Spoon meat mixture over the eggplant. Pour Sauce over this mixture. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt butter. Add flour slowly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Slowly stir in the milk. Return to heat and stir until the sauce thickens. Beat egg yolks well. Gradually stir yolks, salt and pepper into the sauce. Blend well.

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Old Fashioned Greek Shortbread

1 pound butter (NO margarine)
2 egg yolks
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon anise
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

Beat butter at medium speed of electric mixer for 10 minutes. Add egg yolks and confectioners’ sugar. Beat 5 more minutes. Add anise. Add flour one cup at a time, kneading. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or until very lightly browned.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Makes 5 or 6 dozen.

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Athenian Stuffed Peppers

1 pound ground beef
1 cup Minute rice or 1 cup cooked regular rice
2 onions, ground
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 egg, well beaten
8 green bell peppers
6 cups water
5 medium potatoes, sliced

Combine meat, rice, onions, garlic, oil, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, oregano and egg. Wash green peppers; cut and remove seeds. Fill peppers with meat mixture; place open side down in circle in roasting pan.

Combine remaining ingredients except potatoes; pour over peppers. Place potatoes in center of pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.

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Pastitsio (Baked Macaroni)

1 pound macaroni
1/4 pound butter
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or beef
1/2 can tomato paste
6 ounces grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Sauce
4 cups warm milk
5 eggs
6 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2) sticks butter

Cook macaroni (but not well done) in boiling, salted water and drain. Saut? onion in a little butter. Add ground meat and stir until brown. Add tomato paste, thinned with a little water. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook until meat is done. Melt butter; pour over drained macaroni, mixing carefully. Spread half of the macaroni on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch pan. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top. Spread entire meat mixture on top. Cover with remaining macaroni and remaining grated cheese.

For the Sauce, boil 3 cups of the milk with 1 1/2 sticks butter. Add flour to remaining 1 cup milk and blend well. Add flour mixture to boiling butter and milk. Thicken and cool. After this has cooled, add 5 beaten eggs, or drop small amounts of the milk mixture into the eggs while stirring constantly. Once the egg mixture gets warm to hot, add the remaining milk. Pour sauce over the macaroni. Shake the pan and insert a knife to penetrate thoroughly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes.

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Revanie (Yogurt Cake)

Syrup
2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
1 slice lemon
1 slice orange

Batter
1 cup flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs, thickly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Combine water, sugar, lemon and orange slices in small saucepan. Cook at a slow boil until clear and syrupy. Set aside.

Mix and sift flour and baking powder. Add sugar to eggs gradually, beating constantly, until smooth and thick. Stir in yogurt. Add orange rind and flour-baking powder mixture; mix smooth. Pour into an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes; remove. Cake will have a delicate brown color. Pour cool syrup slowly over hot cake until absorbed; cool. Cut cake diagonally into diamond shapes. Serve plain or garnished with diced orange sections, whipped cream, toasted almonds, chopped pistachio nuts or whatever else you desire.

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Skorthalia (Garlic Sauce)

This famous, pungent sauce is served in Greece with fried fish or vegetables. This is commonly spelled “Skordalia.”

3 slices white bread, crusts removed
Cold water
3 large cloves garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon or 2 tablespoons
white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts

Soak bread in cold water for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Put into a blender with the garlic, lemon juice or wine vinegar and walnuts, if desired, and process well. Gradually pour in the olive oil until you have a sauce the consistency of mayonnaise.

Serve with vegetables or triangles of pita bread for dipping.

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Spanakopita (Spinach-Cheese Pie)

2 pounds fresh spinach
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup cream sauce
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup finely-crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1/2 pound phyllo pastry sheets
Butter, melted

Wash spinach and discard stems. Dry thoroughly on absorbent paper and cut into pieces. Saut? onion in butter until soft. Add spinach and saut? a few minutes longer.

Cool. Add cream sauce, eggs, cheese and seasonings. Mix well. Place 7 layers of phyllo pastry sheets in an 11 x 14 x 2-inch pan, brushing each sheet well with melted butter. Add spinach mixture, then place 8 phyllo pastry sheets on filling, again buttering each sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Cut into small squares before serving.

Yields 16 squares.

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Spanakorizo (Spinach with Rice)

1 pound spinach
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1/4 cup rice
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Mint leaves

Saut? onions in heated oil until golden. Add the spinach which has been thoroughly washed and drained. Add a little water and bring to boil. Sprinkle parsley and add the washed rice. Stir; season to taste; allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until done.

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Spinach with Lemon Dressing (Horta)

The Greeks do not limit themselves to spinach with this recipe. They choose from poppy leaves, mustard greens, dandelion greens, charlock, rock samphire and other greens.

1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly-ground black pepper

Wash spinach very thoroughly to remove all of the grit and remove stems; drain. Place spinach leaves and just the water that clings to them in Dutch oven. Cover and cook until tender, 7 to 8 minutes; drain thoroughly. Shake oil, lemon juice and salt in tightly covered jar; toss with spinach. Sprinkle with pepper.

Yields 6 servings.

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Strava

This is the ultimate in Kastellorizian sweets and is only made for weddings and name days. Strava derives its name from the oblique angle on which it is cut.

Syrup
3 pounds honey
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar

Bring the ingredients to a boil. Set aside to cool.

Pastry
1 cup olive oil
2 pounds plain flour
Water

Rub oil into flour and add sufficient water to make a soft dough. Knead for at least 10 minutes until dough is smooth in texture and whitish in color. Divide into 3 sections. Roll out fairly thin. Brush with olive oil. Combine filling ingredients. Sprinkle pastry all over with Nut-Coconut Filling and roll up firmly. Cut on oblique lines at approximately 3-inch intervals.

Heat oil and cook pastry for about 12 minutes. Place in colander to drain off surplus oil. Place Strava in honey mixture and leave for 10 minutes.

Makes 60 Strava.

Nut-Coconut Filling
1 pound walnut pieces
1 cup shredded coconut
1 level teaspoon ground cloves
1 level teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 level teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound almond pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
Peanut oil (for frying)