PRETZA ME PSOMI Pretza is a local feta cheese product made in Zakynthos and Cephalonia, something akin to cream cheese but pungent and peppery. You can find it in several cheese shops in Athens, but it is nowhere to be found in America. You can make an ersatz version by mixing crumbled feta with a little ricotta or fresh Greek myzithra […]
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Sesame (Tahini) Honey Spread – Tahinomelo
In Greek: ταχινόμελο, pronounced tah-hee-NO-meh-loh Who needs peanut butter when tahini and honey are available? This combination was frequently eaten separately – dipping a piece of bread into tahini, then following with a forkful of thick honey. Today, it’s being commercially produced, but it’s simple and easy to make at home. With fewer calories than […]
Tyrokavteri: Spicy cheese spread
Ingredients 1 lb of feta cheese, crumbled 8 oz of cream cheese 1 cup of lemon juice 1/2 of olive oil 1/4 teaspoon of pepper (gound white pepper) 4 red peppers, diced and roasted 2 teaspoons of tabasco sauce 1 cup of whiping cream (Half and half) Directions Soften cream cheese in large bowl with […]
Pasta Elias: Olive Paste Spread with Garlic (Tapenade)
In Greek: πάστα ελιάς, pronounced PAH-stah el-YAHS This blend of olives, garlic, oil, and vinegar is a sharp and tangy spread for breads, breadsticks, and vegetables, and the perfect meze to bring out the best in Ouzo or wine. Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 3 cups of pitted black (Kalamata) or green olives 3 teaspoons extra virgin […]
Taramosalata (Taramasalata) – Carp Roe Spread
The Greek meze (meh-ZEH) or appetizer table would not be complete without this traditional spread. When I was young, my Grandmother would make taramosalata (tah-rah-moh-sah-LAH-tah) in an old wooden mortar called a gouthi (goo-THEE). She would pound the roe thoroughly with a large wooden pestle in order to break the eggs down and allow their […]
Stuffed Little Meatballs from Corfu
Stuffed Little Meatballs POLPETES APO TIN KERKYRA Makes about 24 meatballs What the rest of Greece knows as keftedes or by the diminutive, keftedakia, Seven Islanders call polpetes, delicate little meatballs. In the Ionian area these days they are apt to be the mint-doused rendition common throughout all of Greece. This particular recipe, borrowed from Ninetta Laskari’s excellent book on Corfu, […]
Stuffed Veal Cooked in Aromatic Tomato Sauce
SKARTSOTSETTA Here’s a dish that some claim was the invention of Zakynthian and Corfiote taverna owners, but others, more wisely, point to Venice as the source of its provenance. (Skartsotsetta—at least etymologically— probably derives from the Italian scartocetti for “packets” because of the way the thinly sliced veal isstuffed, rolled, and braised.) Regardless of its origins, the dish has evolved to […]
Pan-Fried Veal with a Tangy Vinegar Sauce from Corfu
KERKYREIKO SOFRITO Sofrito gets its name from the Italian fritto, or “fried.” The dish is traditionally made with veal, but beef can be substituted. Makes 4 to 6 servings Ingredients: 1/3 cup all-purpose flour Freshly ground black pepper to taste Dash of cayenne pepper 2 pounds boneless veal, preferably top round, cut into 6 slices 6 tablespoons […]
Meat Pie from Cephalonia
KEFALONITIKI KREATOPITA This recipe, from native Cephalonian Roussa Meleti, originally appeared in my first book, The Food and Wine of Greece. Makes 8 to 10 servings Ingredients: 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing 1/2 pound boneless lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 pound lean boneless pork, cut into 1/2-inch pieces […]
Picarel Pie from Lefkada
MARITHOPITA TIS LEFKADAS Makes 8 to 10 servings Ingredients: 4 pounds small picarel, gutted and washed 2 medium onions, finely chopped 1 cup short-grain rice Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted with 1?4 cupwater (optional) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing 1 recipe Basic Homemade […]