In Greek: μακαρόνια με μανιτάρια και μπεϊκον, say: mah-kah-ROHN-yah me mah-nee-TAH-reeyah kai bacon A delightful family meal, add a seasonal salad, bread, and a tart dish like easy marinated peppers for a delicious spread. A great make-ahead dish, this can be prepared the day before and refrigerated until time to bake. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes […]

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 […]

Diana started with her Aunt Thekla’s recipe and changed it a bit according to taste. She writes, “As with any recipe you can alter how much more or less of any ingredient to add or subtract by taste.” While onion and cloves are part of many Greek sauce recipes, I was delighted to try the […]

The term plaki (plah-KEE) in Greek is used to describe a dish that is usually cooked with olive oil, tomatoes, and vegetables in the oven. For example you can have beans “plaki” style or in this case a baked fish plaki.The recipe works well with any firm white fish – cod, tilapia, halibut, haddock, or whatever type you […]

In Greek: μοσχάρι με αρακά, pronounced mohs-HAH-ree meh ah-rah-KAH One of the many favorite stews in a red sauce (kokkinisto), this is a delicious one-pot meal. Pressure cooking the meat produces tender results, even from less expensive cuts. Add a slice of feta cheese on the side and some crusty country bread, and it’s a […]

These ground beef burgers are so simple, yet they are a delicious and quick, satisfying meal. Prepare extra patties for the freezer because they freeze well and are great to keep on hand for busy weeknights. The recipe hails from my Thea Kanella of Platanos, Greece who was kind enough to make them for us […]

In Greek: στιφάδο, pronounced stee-FAH-thoh The key to this recipe is the long cooking time, which brings together the tastes of the beef, onions, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary. (I’m told that by adjusting the amount of water, this works well in a slow cooker or crockpot – see note below the recipe.) Serve with […]

The word soutzoukaki (soo-tzoo-KAH-kyah) comes from the Turkish “soutzouk” or sausage. These meatballs are shaped like little kebabs. The are lightly fried and then bathed in a wine-sweetened tomato sauce. They hail from Smyrni or modern day Izmir, and the spices are more Turkish than Greek, however they have been adopted by most Greeks as a traditional favorite. […]

I first enjoyed this dish in Athens and couldn’t believe I had never tasted it before. A warm fresh pita is topped with savory kebabs then bathed in a creamy yogurt sauce. On top of that is a savory tomato sauce with some extra paprika sprinkled on top. This can be served with rice pilaf or […]

Ingredients: 500 grams of fresh okra 2 tbsps of red wine vinegar 1/2 a cup of olive oil 1 onion finely chopped 500 grams of fresh pureed tomatoes or a can of pureed tomatoes a handful of chopped, fresh, flat leaf parsley salt and pepper to taste Method: Wash the okra and proceed to trim […]