This recipe has been adapted from a dear friend of the family whose son is a Greek Orthodox priest. She would make them for her son each Lenten season and was kind enough to share her recipe. They are made from “Lenten approved” ingredients and are just delicious with coffee or tea. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes […]

If I were pressed to name one Greek cookie that reminds me of Christmas, this would be it. This is an oil-based cookie recipe that produces moist cake-like cookies flavored with orange and brandy that are bathed in a sweet honey syrup and topped with chopped walnuts. This recipe was given to me by my Thea […]

This recipe for Lenten Koulourakia (koo-loo-RAH-kyah) was given to me by Maria Athanasiou, a dear friend and adopted Aunt of my family. Her recipe uses vegetable oil and wine to flavor the twists, and produces a crisp and delicious cookie that is perfect for dunking in coffee. Maria recommends baking at 400 degrees but I […]

The Greek island of Aegina is famous for its pistachio nuts and this cake is a fabulous combination of pistachio nuts and honey, perfect with coffee, tea, or milk.Use a standard loaf pan to make this cake, and set aside some shelled pistachios to garnish the top. The taste of thyme honey is ideal for this […]

In Greek: βασιλόπιτα, pronounced vah-see-LO-pee-tah Of all the Vassilopita recipes, I like this one the best for making at home because the texture is lovely (like a granular pound cake) and it lends itself to decoration. In four- and five-generation families, we jump at every chance to give younger members decorating opportunities! The recipe calls for self-rising flour. […]

Literally translated, Loli (loh-LEE) means “crazy one.” Despite the odd sounding name, there’s nothing crazy about this delicious sweet cake that is a specialty from the island of Sifnos. There’s no fancy prep work here, all the ingredients are basically thrown in to a bowl and mixed together. The end result is absolutely delightful and as an added bonus, […]

These tender and delicious stuffed grape leaf rolls known as dolmathes (dol- MAH-thes) are stuffed with a hearty meat and rice filling and are commonly served as a main entree. The smaller, rice and pine nut filled dolmathakia (dol-mah-THAH-kya) are usually served as an appetizer or meze. Yield: About 40 Rolls Ingredients: 50 fresh grape leaves or 1 jar (16 […]

n Greek: ντολμαδάκια γιαλαντζί, pronounce dohl-mah-THAHK-yah yah-lahnd-ZEE Throughout the Middle East and southern Europe, this dish is a favorite. Here in vineyard country, these are often made with the very youngest and tenderest (and smallest) freshly picked leaves – which you can do as well if you have access to vines. This is the same […]

n Greek: ντολμαδάκια με κιμά, pronounced dohl-mah-THAHK-yah meh kee-MAH These small bundles of meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves are a favorite dish in Greece. The name comes from the Turkish word “dolma” meaning “stuffed.” They are time- and labor-intensive to make, so the recipe is for a pretty large quantity. They can be […]

In Greek: ντολμαδάκια με κιμά, pronounced dohl-mah-THAHK-yah meh kee-MAH The combination of ground beef and pork is a Greek favorite, and this recipe is one of the easier and quicker variations to make. Stuffing and rolling the leaves takes time, but the recipe is made in large quantities and can be refrigerated for several days […]