Greek Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small bunches fresh spinach, washed well,
large stems removed, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sliced pitted black olives (preferably Greek olives,
such as kalamata)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
Pepper to taste
1 pound cooked penne or other short thick pasta

Heat olive oil in large skillet and cook onions and garlic over
medium heat until translucent.
Lower heat and add spinach and cook,
covered, until wilted, but still green.
Add chopped olives,
crumbled feta cheese, pepper and lemon juice.
Stir in cooked pasta
and serve.

Saint Basil’s Bread (Vasilopeta)

Source: Lior’s Kitchen Talk

A Greek New Year’s bread.

The cakes differ in the various regions of Greece: some are a
type of bread, others a type of rich yeast cake, others are flat,
made of cookie dough.
The cakes may differ, but all include the
customary hidden silver coin.
It symbolizes good luck to the person
who finds the coin in his piece of cake.
The head of the family
cuts slices in a very precise order.
The first piece goes to Saint
Basil for the cake is made in his honor.
The second piece goes to
Christ.
The third piece is for the oldest member of the family, and
on down to the youngest.
The following recipe is the most
traditional version.

2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pistachios)
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar together until light.
Add flour and stir
until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition.
Stir baking powder into milk and
stir into egg mixture.

Mix baking soda and lemon juice and stir in.
Mix well.
Pour into
a greased round layer cake pan 10 inches in diameter and 2 inches
deep.
Randomly throw in a clean coin.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with nuts and sugar and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer,
or until cake tests done.
Cool 10 minutes in pan and invert onto
serving plate.
Serve right side up.

Rolled Baklava

1 pound filo dough, thawed
1 cup vegetable oil
Nut Filling
Syrup

Spread out 1 sheet of filo dough.
Dab or lightly brush with oil.
Over this, evenly place a second sheet of filo.
Brush sheet with
oil and lightly sprinkle with Nut Filling.
Place a third sheet of
filo over this, brush with oil and sprinkle with more Nut Filling.
Roll up tightly (the 3 sheets together) jelly-roll fashion.
Slice
diagonally into 1-inch pieces.
Place on a lightly greased baking
sheet.
Repeat until all filo dough and filling are used.
Bake in
preheated 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until light golden.
Cool.

Freeze at this point, if desired.
When ready to serve, prepare
Syrup, cool and pour over individual pieces.
Serve in paper candy
cups.

Makes about 4 to 5 dozen.

NUT FILLING: In a medium bowl, combine 5 cups almonds OR pecans,
chopped fine in food processor, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional) and 1/2 cup toasted
sesame seeds (optional).
Mix well.

SYRUP: In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups honey
and 1 cup water.
Heat to boiling and cook until sticky, about 5 to
8 minutes, until syrup coats the back of a spoon.
Do not
overcook.

Greek Meatballs (Keftethes)

Source: I have made Keftethes on many occasions - (the recipe is
from a Greek cookbook I’ve had for years) - and they are quite
famous amongst my friends.
Hope you enjoy them.
Regards ~ Geoff
Clifford - UK

1 large onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1kg (2 1/4 pound) lean minced beef or lamb
2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs, moistened
in about 3/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped mint (if not
available, use chopped, dried mint)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Ouzo (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Plain flour
1 cup olive oil and corn oil mixed (you may
need slightly more)

Fry onions with vegetable oil over low heat until golden.
Remove
to a large mixing bowl.

Add meat and all other ingredients except flour and olive/corn
oil mix.
Knead for about 10 minutes or until mixture is a smooth
paste.

Heat the oil mix in a large frying pan to the point of
fragrance.

Meanwhile, start to shape mixture into balls about the size of a
large marble by rolling lightly between palms of hands, I suggest
that you do them in batches of say 12 - 16, each batch being enough
to space evenly but separately in the frying pan.

As each meatball is formed place them on a large plate which has
been liberally covered with plain flour.
When the batch is finished
lightly roll the meatball in the flour.
At this point the oil in
the frying pan should be just ready.

Put the batch of meatball into the pan (Use kitchen tongs as the
oil is very hot).

Start on your second batch of meatballs, make them and place
them on the floured plate.
At this point it is time to turn the
meatballs over and when you have completed this roll the second
batch in the flour.

Now it is time to remove the first batch from the frying pan
using a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs and place on paper towels to
drain.

Put the second batch of meatballs into the pan to cook and carry
on with the process until you have finished the mixture.

These meatballs are deliciously light and delicately flavoured
and you can serve them hot, warm or cold or freeze for future
use.

Cheese and Honey Pie

Sesame Seed Pastry
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Prepare Sesame Seed Pastry.
Beat cream cheese in large mixer
bowl on medium speed until creamy.
Add remaining ingredients; beat
until light and fluffy.
Pour into baked pie shell.
Bake at 350
degrees F until firm, 40 to 50 minutes.
Refrigerate until serving
time.
Yields 10 to 12 servings.

Sesame Seed Pastry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients until blended; press firmly and evenly
against bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate.
Bake at 475 degrees F
for 5 minutes.

Greek Trinity Loaf

Makes 1 loaf

This traditional Greek Easter bread acquires its name from its
shape.
According to Greek tradition, the bread is cut when the
entire family is seated at the Easter table.
Each person receives
one thin slice from each of the three loaves.

3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 packages RapidRise or fast-acting yeast
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water (70 to 80 degrees F)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, cut up
2 whole eggs plus 1 separated egg (divided)
1 cup golden raisins

In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast,
anise seed and salt.

Heat water and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees F);
stir into dry ingredients.
Stir in 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk (reserve egg
white) and enough remaining flour to make soft dough.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about
5 to 7 minutes.
Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

To shape and bake dough: Remove 1/2 cup dough; reserve.
Knead
raisins into remaining dough; divide into 3 equal pieces.
Form each
into smooth ball; arrange on greased baking sheet in the shape of a
3-leaf clover.

Divide reserved dough into 4 equal pieces; roll each into
10-inch rope.
Place 2 ropes side by side; twist together, pinching
ends to seal.

Repeat with remaining ropes.

Arrange twisted ropes on 3-leaf clover in the form of a cross,
tucking ends under.
Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until
doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Lightly beat reserved egg white; brush on dough.
Meanwhile,
preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake bread for 30 to 35 minutes or until done, covering with
foil after 10 minutes to prevent excess browning.

Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

Bread machine method: (For 1 1/2- or 2-pound bread machines.)
Using 3 1/4 cups bread flour and 3 teaspoons rapid-rise or
fast-acting yeast, add ingredients to bread machine pan in the
order suggested by manufacturer.
Process on dough/manual cycle.

When cycle is complete, remove dough to floured surface.
If
necessary, knead in additional flour to make dough easy to handle.
Proceed as directed above to shape and bake dough.

Calories: 205 per 1 of 14 slices (10% from protein, 65% from
carbohydrate, 25% from fat) Protein: 5 grams; Total fat: 5.8 grams;
Saturated fat: 3.1 grams; Cholesterol: 57 mg; Sodium: 225 mg;
Carbohydrate: 33.9 grams; Dietary fiber: 1.5 grams

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 fat, 1/2 fruit