VRASTO ME HILOPITES Another classic on the region’s Sunday table. Makes 6 to 8 servings Ingredients: 1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for the noodles 2 medium onions, finely chopped 7 cups water 4 to 5 pounds whole bone-in beef shank, trimmed of fat Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 […]

STRANGISTES HILOPITES This dish is a quick and steadfast country dinner in many parts of Greece. I include it here, in the foods of the Peloponnesos, because it was mentioned by every local cook I spoke with, leading me to realize that even if the dish isn’t unique to the region, it is so commonly cooked that it is considered […]

Pasta (called “zymarika” in Greek) are favorites combined with all types of meats and seafood. Greek cooking makes use of many different types of pastas, from small soup pasta to large pasta tubes used to make the famous “pastitsio.” Lamb with Pasta Oven Casserole – Yiouvetsi Pasta with Zucchini & Tomatoes Pasta with Spicy Reddened […]

In Greek: κεφτεδάκια με πιπεριές, say: kef-teh-THAHK-yah meh pee-peh-ree-YES The meatballs in this recipe for Meatballs in Sauce with Peppers aren’t just made with ground beef (hamburger meat)… they include eggplant! A fabulous tomato sauce with red and green peppers adds to the delightful taste combination. Serve with rice. The recipe serves 6-8. Ingredients: FOR […]

In Greek: μπούρου-μπούρου, pronounced BOO-roo BOO-roo This soup is a creative affair. Use any vegetables you happen to have on hand, and adjust the hot pepper to taste. Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Ingredients: 9 ounces of spaghetti noodles, broken into 1 1/2 inch pieces 1 ripe tomato, cut into chunks 1 medium potato, peeled and […]

SKORDOMAKARONA My friend Haralambos, the district education counselor from Molaous near Sparta, is a walking encyclopedia of local history, gastronomy, and folkways. He shared this simple recipe with me, explaining that it was the workers’ lunch during the summer threshing period as well as during the fig harvest. The tremendous amount of garlic—3 whole heads or more— acted as a replacement […]

MAVROMATIKA FASOLIA ME ZARZAVATIKA KAI HILOPITES Makes 4 servings Ingredients: 1⁄2 pound dried black-eyed peas, picked over and rinsed 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 1 leek, white part only, washed well and finely chopped 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 […]

Summary A zesty tomato soup, great with a pasta. Ingredients 1 celery (stalks) 1/2 cup of olive oil 1 lb pasta 1 pinch of salt 1 pinch of white sugar 3 medium, ripe tomatoes Directions Wash, peel, core and crush the tomatoes. Press the tomatoes through a strainer, removing any course pulp and the seeds. […]

When teaching others to make this dish, I have often joked that the word pastitsio (pa-STEE-tsee-oh) translates to “messy kitchen” in Greek. I was only kidding, but there is a hint of truth to that statement. The Greek word pastitsio derives from the Italianpasticcio, which loosely translates to a mess or a hodgepodge. Three essential components make […]

In Greek: μοσχάρι με φρέσκα μανιτάρια, pronounced mos-HAH-ree meh FRES-kah mah-nee-TAH-reeyah This is a very easy recipe to make, and a delicious dish to serve with noodles or rice. The recipe works well with portobello, oyster, and regular white mushrooms. Cook Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes Ingredients: 2 pounds of stew beef, cut in chunks […]