Greek Easter Bread

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                                        Greek Easter Bread a.k.a Tsourekia





Food is the unification of the family, that’s what my mom taught me. Easter at my house was a blend of beautiful aromas and family unification! My mom began cooking in the middle of the week and finished at the end of the week just  a few hours before going to church. Nostalgic of her cooking and her presence,  I try to create my own moments with my own family using her recipes.  This recipe takes me back to a time of fun, a worry free life and a time where things were quite different. My mom’s holiday cooking would put a smile on all our faces. She made everything seem effortless, whether she was tired or not she had a smile when she cooked.  Her happiness just echoed throughout the house. In return I want to give my children these moments that I still long for. No matter how old you are or how good you cook, mom’s cooking is always better. This Greek Easter bread (Tsoureki) resembles the Jewish Challah. It goes great with coffee, you can spread on it butter, honey, jam or just eat it plain,that’s how I like it. Without the Greek Easter Bread, it's just not Easter, the aroma of this bread seduces your soul and gratifies every single taste bud that you have! 

Greek Easter Bread a.k.a Tsourekia

Ingredients

• 5 pounds of all purpose flour ( always buy a little extra)
• 12 whole eggs
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 cups sugar or 850 grams
• 1 cup Mazola corn oil ( any corn oil will do)
• 1 stick sweet butter or 200 grams
• 5 yeast envelopes ( for the leaven)
• 3 glasses of milk or 650 grams
• 8 Red dyed eggs ( if you want to )
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Mahlepi ( a Greek unusual spice with an Arabic name) *
• 1/2 teaspoon of Mastiha ( Gum resin from the Mastic tree) *

Leaven, this must be made overnight.

Heat one glass of milk till warm, add in a big pot then add your 5 envelopes of yeast. Dissolve yeast very well then slowly add your flour, add just enough to make it tight, set aside till next day.

The next day it should have tiny air bubbles.

he next day in a different pot:

Mix 12 eggs and 1 glass of warm milk and then slowly all other ingredients, add your butter last.  Beat for at least 15 minutes.  Make sure your mahlepi and Mastiha are cracked I usually place it in a towel and crack them with a hammer.  You can use a hand processor and break them down.

* Mahlepi – can be found in Middle Eastern shops

* Mastiha can be found in gourmet shops or Greek Delis

TIPS: 1) You could also chew the Mastiha as is, it's excellent for digestion.
         2) The new generation loves to top it off with melted chocolate or filled with                Nutella.
    

Once you are done you add your leaven to your mix.

Once you add the leaven, mix and then  slowly add the flour, when you add enough flour and the dough starts forming you begin kneading, rub your hands with corn oil, this makes the kneading  a lot easier. If you do not use corn oil it will become a difficult task.  You must knead it for about 20 minutes, if you have a bread machine go ahead and use it. I like doing it the traditional way. I make the dough, as soon as I wake up in the morning. When you are done kneading leave it in a big bowl and allow it to rise usually about about 4 hours. If it overlaps in the bowl it's ready, I usually knead about 3 times and allow it to rise each for about an hour or so. Makes the bread fluffier.

It’s traditional to make the Tsourekia in shapes of braids. We do this to keep all bad spirits away.

If you have followed the recipe, you should have about 7 to 8 tsourekia (depending on the size you make). When they are all ready brush them with an egg for color, then you cover them  with aluminum foil and towels and you let them rise for about 2 -3 hours before baking. If they have not risen, they are not ready and yo will get a hard tsoureki. Preheat your oven for at least an hour. Bake them for 25 mins. at 248 Fahrenheit or less. To check if they are ready place a skewer in the middle if it comes out clean they are ready!! Let them cool and eat !

                                                                KALE OREXI!!! 

My Pasta Sauce!

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                                                              My Pasta Sauce!
                                               

Pasta Sauce! A taste that takes me back a few years to the first time I ever cooked, my very first recipe was pasta sauce. My cooking mentor,my Mom,who passed on her cooking skills to me, I was the oldest so it was inevitable for  me not to cook, I believe I was about 13 at the time. She took two onions, one for each and she said try to do what I do and that was it, we created our first recipe together. I have to admit dicing onions was a teary situation (lol). My cooking skills aren't bad at all but I still enjoy my meals way better when  they are cooked by my Mom. My Pasta recipe has become my trademark among family and friends. I have a knack for creating a scrumptious marinara sauce, it can be used almost anywhere, on pasta, rice, with french fries, even with fried eggs. My in-laws plant abundant tomatoes in their huge garden and  therefore I have the essential ingredient to create various pasta sauces, which I  freeze and use when our pasta craving hits us. Making pasta sauce from scratch is super easy and so much fun because after the basic ingredients, your pasta is alterable and you can add various ingredients, such as, green peppers, carrots, celery, you name it, use your imagination and a little TLC and presto your sauce is ready! Most people before making a pasta sauce, they blanch their tomatoes. (boil,peel and scoop the seeds out ) I honestly don't see a reason for this, I want the whole tomato in my sauce not a part of it.  If your Greek and you love rustic bread they compliment each other perfectly! 

Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 large tomato
• 1 large onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 whole nutmeg(optional)
• cinnamon (optional) 
• 4 cloves (optional)
• peppercorns 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• olive oil

O.K. as I said, I don't blanch tomatoes. I take my cutting board and I dice my tomatoes, onions and garlic. I take my cooking pot, add the olive oil about 1/4 cup, heat the oil until it starts shimmering,   Then I add onions, tomato, and garlic saute for about 10 minutes,start to stir all the ingredients until they are covered with oil. Saute until the onion it's tender but not browned, add a teaspoon of oregano salt & pepper to taste. Don't stop stirring and use a wooden spoon.  During this time if you want you can add diced up peppers, carrots etc. it's all up to you.Then add about 2 cups of  water. Bring to a boil and cover, cook for about 20 -30 min. When water has reached half its cooking point, add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and if you like add spices like cloves, grind a bit of nutmeg etc. Once again try a few things around and see what you prefer. During the summer time I have fresh basil so of course I make pasta sauce using some fresh basil. Yum! Yum! 

                      Another great tasting recipe form my kitchen to yours KALE OREXI!! 

                                                           

Octopus and Pasta Bake

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Octopus and Pasta Bake 

Octopus and Pasta Bake, if you're a true seafood lover then this dish is definitely a must try!! The savory juices that are extracted by the octopus while it simmers in red tomato sauce and slowly baked in the oven oh! so mouthwatering....  Octopus and Pasta Bake is a favorite dish among, almost all Greeks during lent. Hey, I don't only cook it during lent, it's a great summer dish! My mother cooked this scrumptious meal and we couldn't wait to sit down. Reminiscing a bit, I used to take my fork and swiftly before my mom could catch me I would grab a piece of the octopus right out of the pot ( she always hated this)  but the scent of fresh octopus simmering was just so tantalizing I couldn't resist. Now on to the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Octopus
• 1 package ditalini 
• 2 medium onions
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon of oregano
• rosemary (optional) 
• 1/2 cup of red wine(optional) 
• bay leaf (optional) 

You can use any pasta you like but ditalini is the traditional way. 

I made this dish with frozen octopus (It's much more tender than fresh bought octopus) 

Rinse your octopus very well, if your octopus has a hood open it up and clean it and make sure there's no sand in the suction cups of the tentacles. If you would like you can cut your  octopus in bulky pieces (octopus shrinks as it cooks) I didn't I cut the octopus until after it was cooked. 

                                            

                         

                     Place your octopus in the pan on low heat, juices will be extracted keep stirring until all juices have evaporated, use a wooden spatula. Keep in mind the octopus will change color.

                                 

Once the juices have almost evaporated add your olive oil, make sure it covers the bottom of your pan.  Saute for about 5 minutes. Then add your chopped up tomatoes,and onions saute for about another 5 minutes. Stir until your onions have a golden color. Some people add rosemary, bay leaf, allspice etc. I don't, I just add pepper, oregano and garlic and I saute for another 3 minutes or so. At this point I usually add red wine. When you add the red wine allow it to boil and almost evaporate before you add the water. I didn't add wine this time. I just covered with water and allowed it to boil on high for about 1 hr or until the octopus was tender. If after an hour your octopus isn't soft then just add  more water and allow to keep boiling. When your octopus is tender and it's almost ready to simmer add your tomato paste and allow to simmer into a thick sauce.

TIP: Don't add salt or it will make your octopus tough and hard to swallow. If you would like add a tiny bit at the end. 

                                         

When your sauce is ready empty contents into your pan add your pasta and cover with water. TIP: Cover with aluminum foil or parchment paper. 

                   

                     Preheat your oven 1/2 hour before, place your pan in the oven. Cook for about 30min. or until pasta is Al dente Stir occasionally always with a wooden spatula. When it is almost ready you can add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, your salt & pepper to taste.

   

                     

              When you octopus and pasta bake is ready serve with a nice Greek salad
 and a tall glass of refreshing red wine, an ideal combination. 

              KALE OREXI! Another mouthwatering dish from my kitchen to yours! 

zeppoles with yogurt a.k.a loukoumades

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                                                     Zeppoles with Yogurt a.k.a Loukoumades

Remember my post about my traditional recipe for Zeppoles a.k.a Loukoumades. Well the other day I received a new tip from someone who has more experience than I in making loukoumades and of course I had to give it a try. Instead of using just water you, you can add yogurt. They come out soft and super delicious and if you have leftovers, and allow them to sit overnight they are still soft the next morning to enjoy them with your cup of coffee.  KALE OREXI!

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo (2.2 pounds)   All purpose flour
• 200 grams plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Domino sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 envelope of yeast
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Honey

Leaven:

Ingredients:

• 180 grams flour
• 1 1/2 envelopes of yeast
• 260 grams luke warm water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the leaven:

Add water and yeast mix until the yeast has dissolved. Then add flour and mix, next add your salt and your baking soda. Set it aside for an hour. Small bubbles should be forming immediately.

                                                             

For Zeppole mixture: 

Add your yogurt and flour. Water and flour should be added little at a time until you have reached the desired amount and  your dough should has elasticity. Proceed with your loukoumades as in the previous post.( Check link above) 

TIP:  If you could like you can add 1 teaspoon of honey it gives the loukoumades a rich golden color.

Chicken Pie a.k.a Bouroukopita

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Chicken Pie a.k.a bouroukopita or Kreatopita

Ingredients

• 1 Whole chicken
• 5 whole eggs
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 pastry puff (optional) I make my own
• 1 1/2 cup rice ( long grain rice) 
• 1/3 cup of oil

Chicken Pie a.k.a Kotopita is a savory traditional  dish that mom has created over a hundred times. A recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation. On the little island of Mathraki, in the early days, the home culinary chefs were very innovative as they used ingredients  that were handy. The chickens they used, were home grown, I have tasted a pie with home grown chicken, it tastes way better then commercial chickens. I'm so glad that I have had the opportunity to taste real organic recipes, as this has provided me with great experience in defining a real good tasting meal.

This Chicken Pie recipe is great for freezer food. You can make one big pie, like I did or you can make small pies and freeze them for later use, when you are just not in the mood to cook. You can either use a home made crust or you can use a ready made pastry puff. For this particular Chicken Pie recipe  I prefer to make my own crust even though I might spend more time in the kitchen. The result according to my taste buds is just so scrumptious! A creamy filling wrapped in a homemade crust and baked until crisp and golden brown is absolutely heavenly! 

Some people use roasted chicken but the pie will turn out dry, in order to get a succulent taste you need to boil it. Chop up your whole chicken you can disregard wings and neck, or you can freeze them to make a quick chicken broth for soup. Once your chicken is all cut up saute in olive oil in a big pot with garlic and onions, add salt an pepper to taste,  saute for about 10 minutes. Cover with water and boil until chicken is tender and ready for tearing. 

Once it's ready take out of pot with a ladle strainer spoon on a platter. Allow it to cool and then tear it apart and place in another platter. I used my pan it was convenient for me.

Return back to pot add water, rice salt and pepper to taste. Add just enough water to boil, add your  rice, boil until it  becomes tender but make sure it doesn't over boil or it will become too creamy. 

Take off the stove, allow it to cool for about 15 min. Take your eggs beat them with your whisk then add them into the filling. Mix very well, add salt and pepper to taste.

Make your phyllo/ pastry  or buy a ready made pastry puff.

Make sure you butter your pan first. My dough

Once you have rolled out your phyllo, add your filling and then make your crust. Make sure to even out the filling either with a flat spatula or using your hands.

When done beat one whole egg and apply on top of the filling use a brush to spread around your Chicken Pie filling.

Preheat your oven on high for 15 min. Place your pie in oven cook on high for about 10 min. reduce to almost half and bake for another 20 - 30  or until golden brown. Cool and cut into pieces, serve with a nice salad. 

TIP: If you have some filling and dough left over you make some small patties and freeze. I made them and served with fries, my kids enjoyed them so much. 

Roll out your pastry add you filling, roll the sides inward and then roll all the way till you close it. Freeze and cook at your convenience. They can even take the patty to school. 

KALE OREXI!! Another great tasting dish from my kitchen to yours! 

Pancakes a.k.a Tiganopsomo Fried Bread

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                                                      Greek Pancakes a.k.a Tiganopsomo ( Fried Bread)

Fried Bread or Tiganopsomo, A heavenly treat for anytime of the day, Tigano/tigani means frying pan and psomo/psomi means bread, therefore, we have tiganopsomo. My mom was exceptional in the kitchen,I thank God she passed down her culinary skills on to me. Every time she would make Tiganopsoma, the sizzle and scent from the olive oil whiffed my nose and I just couldn't wait to sink my teeth in this crunchy and fluffy tiganopsoma.  This recipe has value because it's not only the fact that it tastes goods but it's associated with the scenic and beautiful birthplace of my parents. Mathraki. It represents a time when people didn't have access to supermarkets and fast food chain stores. They cooked with what they had at hand and this kind of forced them to come up with various recipes. My mom can be called a home cook aficianado. Tiganospsoma are fulfilling and so fun to make! You can eat them in so many different ways, the traditional way with feta cheese, tomatoes and olives. For a sweeter version, drizzle them with honey, sugar and cinnamon. TIP: a) you can  turn them into personal pizzas with a variety of toppings. b) In some regions they add feta cheese, olive oil, oregano or mint leaves in between two tiganopsoma and fry them. This is a great idea for your next party. A simple and yet so savory delight that I had to share this experience with my kids( which they love) and now I'm sharing my mom's traditional  recipe with you all. 

Ingredients

• 500 grams of all purpose or self rising flour
• 1 cup of luke warm water
• 1 envelope of dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cup of olive oil

First, have your luke warm water ready, add it in a bowl, add your yeast and mix until the yeast has been diluted completely. Once this has been done add flour mix until you get a soft stick substance ( this is called a leaven

When you are almost done set it aside for about an hour or so the longer the better. An hour is a good portion of time for the leaven to rise, if starts to make bubble it's good.

When the leaven is ready, keep adding luke warm water and flour, before completing it onto a pliable dough add your salt. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your fingers. I usually use all of the 500 grams of flour and then I have extra flour when I roll the bread pitas out. I usually make about 15 -18 pancakes, I  used all 500 grams of flour and of course, I give to my neighbors as well. 

Before making your tiganopsomo allow the dough to rest for 30 min.

Make sure you flour your surface before rolling out your flat breads. I roll them out to about 7 - 8 inches, We all like them big, if the  dough is a bit sticky just add more flour. Don't roll them out to tick or they will not fry well in the middle. I know this from personal experience. 

Add olive oil enough to cover the bottom of the the pan. When placing the bread in the pan dust off the extra flour then place in pan make tiny holes in the bread with your fork. Let it fry until golden brown on both sides. Olive oil works best for tiganopsoma. Best to serve when they are warm. KALE OREXI!! Another great recipe from my kitchen to yours! 

Sugar Powdered Cookies a.k.a Kourabiedes

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                                   Sugar Powdered Cookies a.k.a Kourabiedes

                                            

It's not christmas at a Greek house if the Kourabie is not the host, the sugar powdered Christmas butter cookies. Simply put, there's no festivity without these sugar powdered cookies. They are very simple to make and they just melt in your mouth. When  a mom and a daughter bake/cook together, they create memorable moments that last a lifetime. In my kitchen, I recapture moments of my childhood baking with my mom and at the same time my daughter sits right beside me, assisting with the process and art of making Greek butter cookies. A hand me down recipe filled with many funny moments, the time we burnt a few, the time the sugar wasn't enough or just running to the supermarket to buy some very last minute ingredients for this melt in your mouth butter cookies recipe. No matter what behind the scenes we went through with my mom, the outcome was always perfect  and the scent was heaven, alerting everyone the holidays have arrived! Every year during this time I can't wait to place the first pan of kourabiedes in the oven, the scent that pervades from the oven  and lingers through the whole house, the aura of buttery and zesty aromas makes your taste buds sing Jingle Bells!

Kourabies, is the singural and the plural is Kourbiedes. According to the wikipedia it has a mixture of origination Azerbaijani, Qurabiye, Albanian Kurabie, Persian Ghorabi,Turkish, Kurabiye . The common word is Kuru, which means dry biscuit. Therefore, Greeks call it Kourabie, a dry biscuit.

* It's a trial and error kind of recipe but once you get the hang of it, it becomes more simple than simple ;) Enjoy and  have a Merry Christmas!

 The story goes as, when these cookies were deemed as Christmas cookies, they were given the crescent shape and the top their was a whole clove inserted into the cookie. The clove represented the gift of spices  that the Three Wise Men brought to Bethlehem when Jesus was born,                        

Ok, enough rambling on with my famous Kourbiedes Recipe :)

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 shot glass of cognac
• 1/3 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered vanilla or
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 sticks of butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 bag confectioners sugar
• 1 cup roasted chopped almonds
• 1 bottle ouzo ( Metaxa or Pilavas) 

                          First, mix your butter with an electric mixer until it's white and fluffy.
                                                               

Slowly, add everything else and last you mix in your chopped roasted almonds.

                             
Finally, you add your flour, you add a little bit at  at a time and you knead as you go. You stop kneading when you have a pliable dough and it doesn't stick to your hands.


                                      

                                  The traditional recipe calls for crescent shapes but you can use cookie cutters.                                       They  taste delicious no matter what their shape.

                               

 Cook each batch for about 15 minutes or until brown. When they are ready, take them out place them on a flat surface and sprinkle with ouzo. Once you have sprinkled them with ouzo roll them in confectioner's sugar. I usually roll them then I place them in cupcake cups and add extra sugar on top. Your Kourabiedes are done!!! Happy Holidays! If you have any questions drop me a line or connect with me on my sm. :)    

                    If you love this recipe or any other recipe share with your family and friends.                                        
                                       

  

KALE OREXI!!!! 

Stuffed Turkey Breast

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                                                        Stuffed Turkey Breast 

A Thanksgiving tradition that is associated with eating,shopping and football, I think we all have steered away from the real meaning and the reason we celebrate this  special day. We shouldn't set aside just one day to give thanks but everyday should be a day of thanking and giving. Our thanksgiving tradition of turkey, phone calls and well wishes suddenly came to a halt. It's something that we knew and progressively happened and we had to come to accept it! We didn't celebrate Thanksgiving last year we had one less table setting, my dad was watching us from above. My dad was very big on holidays and thanksgiving was no exception. Thanksgiving without him was not the same, there's an emptiness a void that will never be filled. You see, he had a lot  to be thankful for. My dad wasn't American but he had a tremendous amount of love for the country that gave him bread and butter, as he would remind us, whenever he saw an opportunity.

My parents were pilgrims in some sort of way. They arrived to the new world, America, for a better life. Aside from facing quite a few obstacles, they bought with them their own traditions but also learned news ones, they accepted and respected them. The year before he passed away, as ailing as he was, even though his body  had endured pain and had even lost interest in eating, he still found will and power and went and bought a Turkey because ......

...... celebrating meant everything to him and he always said no matter what life continues. Once again, he showed us how thankful he was for what he had accomplished.

Nostalgia staring at us straight in the eyes, regretting every argument or misunderstanding we had with our father, tears rolling down our cheeks as I stare at the phone  and wishing for one more holiday call with dad.

In closing, thank you dad, for showing us how to love, respect and give thanks for what we have and especially that we have food on the table. I carry you dad in my memories, heart and in all I do. I miss you this Thanksgiving and every single day that passes

To all who read this,take the time out and focus on what really matters forget about all arguments and misunderstandings you have with family members. Make special memories love one another. It sounds cliche but it's the essence of our daily lives. Give thanks not only on Thanksgiving but each everyday because you never know when your Thanksgiving will change.

My last thought for this day  is a  small verse from the Bible from Thessalonians, (1 Timothy 5:4) Where he speaks about family. Thank You,Father, for creating families. Thank You for giving  me parents, siblings, a spouse and children, and grandchildren.( don't have any, too young) Family is a part of your plan and I'm so grateful for my loved ones.

This is what Thanksgiving means to me. This year and many more to come I will be creating my own tradition. We don't need to stuff a whole Turkey to celebrate ( my family is not very bog on turkey) I and to find an alternate dish and still remain within tradition. I  overloaded a turkey breast with stuffing and baked in honey and beer I dedicate this recipe to my dad, who's my guardian angel.

Stuffed Turkey Breast Baked in Beer and Honey 

Ingredients: 

• 2.2 pounds fillet turkey breast
• 1 fresh leek
• 3 slices bacon
• 1 1/2 tablespoon parsley
• 1 small onion
• 1 fresh onion sprig
• 1 small tomato
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 florina pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons honey
• tri-color peppercorns
• 2 knorr beef cubes
• various cheeses like gouda, muenster cheese, Greek feta
• cooking twine or linen string ( I prefer linen string) 
• oregano
• 2 big yams
• 4 big potatoes
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

 First slice up your turkey breast slowly, make sure it doesn't thin out to much so ingredients can stay in the middle and not seep out. Season with salt and pepper.

                        

Chop up all the ingredients, tomato, onion, leek etc. add them to the center of turkey breast, spread them a bit around and down the center,  season with salt, pepper, oregano and pepper corns, sprinkle with olive oil and roll. I also added 1/2 knorr beef cube. When rolling take the two ensds and fold them inward and continue to roll. Set aside the beer and honey.

                         

 When you are done rolling tie it with your cooking twine, make sure it'tight. Place it in your pan add, beer and honey. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and olive oil.Add the other half of the knorr beef cube. Add 1/2 cup of water.

                                       
                                             
Cover with parchment paper, cook  on high for about 45 minutes, if more is needed,lower heat and cook for about another 15 minutes.
   
                                           
 


                                When ready you can serve it with mash potatoes and use my my tasty meat dip to add extra flavor to your turkey slices. I boiled my yams and potatoes.I mashed them together. I added 1/2 cup milk, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 knorr beef cube.Salt and pepper to taste. The whole dish came out scrumptious but don't take my word for it.Go ahead ant try it. I await for your feedback!!

Another delish recipe from my kitchen to yours!! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!                           

                                                 
I paired my dish with a semi sweet red wine.I prefer semi sweet wines to dry.