Grapes abound in Greece, and when we harvest our own, we always set aside some to dry so that we have raisins all during the year. It isn’t difficult, and the raisins keep well in airtight glass or plastic containers and even in plastic bags. Use red or green seedless grapes. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3-4 weeks […]

Making rusks (twice-baked bread) from regular bread is very easy, but because of low oven temperatures, it takes a while. The good thing is that you don’t have to stir, mix, or even flip it. Rusks are an important part of Greek cooking – they’re used to make crumbs, in salads, but the most popular […]

1) Start with a piece of dough The rolling pin shown in this series of photos is the traditional rolling pin used to roll out very large sheets of thin phyllo for all kinds of pastries. It is 3 feet, 4 inches long, and 1 inch in diameter. If using homemade phyllo, start with a […]

1) Start with the Homemade Phyllo Dough For newcomers to homemade phyllo dough, the density of the dough can be surprising. Kneading phyllo will soften it, but it isn’t an extremely soft dough. Depending on the type of dish you are preparing, select and make a recipe for phyllo dough: Basic Phyllo Recipe Country Phyllo for […]

 Phyllo yia Pites In Greek: φύλλο για πίτες, pronounced FEE-loh yah PEE-tes This recipe for phyllo is perfect for making country pies. It’s rolled out with a rolling pin, which is slightly different than using a pasta machine. The quantity is for a large pan commonly used in Greece, similar in size to a large […]

1) A Pasta Maker This is the pasta machine I use to roll out phyllo dough. It’s very simple and clamps to a table or work surface. I put a folded towel underneath so the work surface doesn’t get scratched. This pasta machine has 10 thickness settings from 1 (thickest) to 10 (thinnest), and makes […]

In Greek: φύλλο, pronounced FEE-lo Freshly made phyllo dough (also spelled “filo”) isalways preferable, and it isn’t difficult. Use a pasta machine to make sheets of thin to thick dough to use for pitas and pastries. The alternative, rolling it out with a rolling pin, takes time and experience to master (see below for special instructions). […]

In Greek: μαγιονέζα, pronounced mah-yoh-NEH-zah Mayonnaise has been the inspiration for many meals in many kitchens, and making it at home means the cook can “doctor” it up according to preference. Like it hot? Add a little cayenne pepper or tabasco to heat it up. Start with the basics… and improvise. Ingredients: 3 egg yolks […]

 Glyko Stafyli me Amygthala In Greek: γλυκό σταφύλι με αμύγδαλα, pronounced ghlee-KOH stah-FEE-lee meh ah-MEEGH-thah-lah This spoon sweet is my family’s favorite. The toasted almonds add a wonderful flavor to the mix. We make it during the September grape harvest, and store it in jars to serve throughout the year. To increase the recipe, multiply […]

Drying mint by hanging it for natural air-drying is something not all of us can do, but there is another method that offers good results: in the oven. This method can be used to make mint flakes or dried leaves. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 2-4 hours Here’s How: Wash the mint thoroughtly and carefully in cold water […]