Greek Recipes

Greek and Cypriot recipes

Honey Pie – Melopita

Part custard, part cheesecake, a Honey Pie orMelopita (meh-LOH-peeta) is so versatile that you will find yourself trying it many ways. You can make this like a pie with a bottom and/or top crust. You can try it as a tart as I make it. Or you can make it without a crust entirely as it […]

Homemade Phyllo Dough

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). […]

Pagoto Kaimaki: Orchid Ice Cream with Gum Mastic

In Greek: παγωτό καϊμάκι, pronounced pah-ghoh-TOH kah-ee-MAH-kee This fabulous, creamy ice cream calls for gum mastic, that gives it an almost chewy texture, and salep, used as a thickening agent. Both give the ice cream a unique taste. Golden gum mastic from Chios (mastiha) may be available through Greek grocers, and salep (salepi, sahlep, sahlab […]

Homemade Greek Gyro Sandwich or Dinner

The way professionals make gyro on an upright rotisserie is fabulous, but not the most practical for most of us cooking at home. This version uses the same meat (pork) and seasonings, but has been adapted to home cooking. Other popular versions of Greek gyro are made with beef, lamb, or chicken. Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total […]

Xerotigana: Honey-Dipped Spiral Pastries

In Greek: ξεροτήγανα, pronounced kseh-roh-TEE-ghah-nah The end result of this recipe for honey-dipped spiral pastries is similar to that for thiples, but the dough for xerotigana does not usually contain eggs, and the recipe does not contain any hard-to-find ingredients. And the pastries are fabulous. Quick-fried spirals of the thinnest dough are dipped in a honey syrup and […]

Thiples: Fried Honey Pastries

In Greek: δίπλες, pronounced THEE-ples These light, crunchy pieces of fried pastry dough are a delicious sweet to serve with coffee, as a party food, and as a snack. Thiples can be made in different shapes, the most common being bow ties and spirals (done here). Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Ingredients: 4 […]

Diples

In case you are not familiar with them, Diples (THEE-ples) get their name from the Greek word for “fold.” They are thin sheets of dough that are folded while being fried into a crispy package that is drizzled with honey and dusted with cinnamon and ground walnuts. This recipe has been adapted from the cookbook of the Ladies […]

Greek Recipes for Fried Sweets and Pastries

Fabulous honey puffs, donuts, crepes, dessert pancakes, small pies (pitakia), and other confections, fried to perfection. Loukoumades (Loukoumathes)- Greek Honey Puffs Loukoumades are golden puffs of fried dough that are bathed in sweet syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon and walnuts. Diples Diples (THEE-ples) get their name from the Greek word for “fold.” They are thin […]