Greek Walnut Cake

Posted by Olga 4/4/02 5:34:04 pm

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
4 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup sweetened apple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and
cloves.
Stir in walnuts.
Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar at
high speed until foamy.
Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at
a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are
glossy and stand in soft peaks.
(Rub just a bit of meringue between
thumb and forefinger to feel if sugar has dissolved.)

In small mixing bowl, beat egg yolks at high speed until thick
and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes.

Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar.
Sprinkle flour
mixture over whites.
Add beaten yolk mixture.
Gently, but
thoroughly, fold yolk mixture into whites.
Pour into greased and
floured 10-inch springform pan.
Gently spread batter evenly.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven until top springs back when
lightly touched with finger, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove cake
from oven.
Cool completely.
Remove cake from pan and invert onto
serving platter.
Pierce top of cake with a skewer or fork.

In small saucepan, stir together apple juice, remaining 1/2 cup
sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel.
Cook over medium-high heat,
stirring constantly, until mixture boils.
Remove from heat.
Slowly
spoon syrup over cake until absorbed.

Serves 8.

Greek Cinnamon-Nut Sticks

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars.
Add egg, cream
and vanilla extract and beat well.

Sift flour with baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add to batter
gradually, mixing well after each addition.
Stir in nuts.
Pinch off
pieces of dough the size of small walnuts and roll between palms to
the thickness of a pencil.
Elongate the ends and place on baking
sheets.
Bake for about 12 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Greek Homestyle Chicken

Source: catholicculture.org

This is a common meal in Greece and smells delicious while it is
cooking.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice of two lemons
4 or 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced french-fry style
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup water
One head garlic, the cloves peeled but whole
Oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken in a shallow baking tray.
Arrange potatoes around
chicken pieces.
Scatter whole peeled cloves of garlic around
chicken and potatoes.

Mix together lemon juice and olive oil, and pour evenly over
chicken and potatoes.
Add water until potatoes are just about
covered.
Add salt, pepper to taste.
Cover chicken and potatoes with
generous amounts of oregano.
Bake at 350 degrees F, until tops of
chicken are reddish brown.

Turn chicken, stir potatoes, and sprinkle on more oregano.
If
potatoes aren’t at least half-covered with liquid, add water.
Return to oven for about 15-20 minutes.
Chicken is done when both
sides a lightly browned and potatoes are soft when touched with a
fork.

Serve with a crusty bread or with pita bread.

Serves 4.

Greek Saint Fanourios Cake (Fanouropita)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups corn oil
1/3 cup brandy or orange liqueur
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups orange juice
Grated peel of 1 orange
1/2 cup each dried currants, raisins and chopped walnuts
Sesame seeds for topping

Put all the ingredients, except for the flour and baking soda,
into a large bowl.
Mix to a creamy consistency.
Add flour and
baking soda and stir until just mixed.
Pour mixture into a greased
9 x 13-inch pan that has been sprinkled with sesame seeds and then
cover surface with more sesame seeds.
Bake at 350 degrees F for
45-60 minutes.

Melomakarouna (Honey Cookies Stuffed with Dates and Nuts

Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 pounds flour
2 sticks (1 cup) sweet, unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups Wesson oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flour (about 1 pound more)

Filling
2 cups chopped nuts
1 pound chopped dates
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey

Syrup
3 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
1 slice lemon (1/2 lemon)
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups honey

Add pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder to 2 pounds of
flour.

Beat 2 sticks sweet (unsalted) butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar well.
Add 2 cups of Wesson oil slowly, beating well.
Add 1 egg and beat.
Add 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 1/2 cups orange juice and add
quickly to mixture.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Add flour to
mixture until dough is soft but not sticky.
You will use about
another pound of flour, (about 3 pounds of flour in all).

Prepare filling.
Combine 2 cups chopped nuts, 1 pound chopped
dates, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons honey.
Take 1
tablespoon dough and put about 1/2 teaspoon filling in center and
then fold dough over to seal in filling.
Bake at 350 degrees F
until brown.

Prepare syrup.
Boil 3 cups sugar and 4 cups of water with one
slice lemon (1/2 lemon), 1 cinnamon stick until syrupy, about 15
minutes.
Add 2 cups honey.
Dip cold cookies in warm syrup or dip
warm cookies in cold syrup.
Dip each cookie into honey and then
into ground nuts mixed with cinnamon.

Yields about 100 cookies.

Pontica (Orange Cake in Syrup)

Cake
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
6 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

Syrup
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter an 8 x 12-inch pan with
1/4 cup melted butter.

Make syrup by combining orange juice, water and sugar in
saucepan.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Allow to cool.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

In another bowl, beat egg yolks until light yellow.
To yolks add
sugar, orange rind and vanilla extract; cream well.

Mix flour and baking powder together, set aside.

To egg yolk mixture, add egg whites, alternating with 2
tablespoons of flour, ending with egg whites.
Pour batter into
prepared pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted
in center of cake comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven; cut into
diamond shapes.
Pour cold syrup over hot cake.
Let cool completely
before serving.