Greek Recipes

Greek Wedding Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour.

1 cup butter or margarine

4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 cup chopped nuts

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

confectioners' sugar

30 whole cloves

Directions:

1.  Cream butter, add sugar gradually and cream until spoon.  Blend in the flour.  Stir in nuts, water, and vanilla.  Mix well.

2.  Shape into small 1 inch balls, press down while pressing in 1 whole clove on ungreased baking sheet.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.  While still warm, roll in confectioners' sugar.  Roll again when cooled.

 Spanikopita -Greek cheese pies

Filling:

1 pound crumbled feta cheese

3 beaten eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Pastry:

1-pound package of prepared phyllo dough 

1 cup of melted butter

Directions:

1.  Mix all of the ingredients for the filling.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Cover your work surface with wax paper.  Place a sheet of dough on the wax paper and brush with the melted butter.

3.  Place another sheet on top and brush it with melted butter.

4.  Put about 2 tablespoons of filling at the narrow end of the dough and fold it like a burrito.

5.  Place the folded dough seam side down on an oiled baking sheet.  Brush with melted butter.

6.  Continue to make cheese pies and place on the sheet until filling or dough is done.

7.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pies are a light golden brown.

8.  Serve warm.

(Adapted from a recipe found in #575 Ancient Greece by Teacher Created Materials, Inc.)

Hummus Dip

Ingredients:

1 can Garbanzo beans drained

2-3 tablespoons of tahini (crushed sesame seeds)

1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice

1 Clove garlin

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

water

Directions:

1.  Place drained beans in a blender.  Add all the other ingredients and then add enough water to almost cover the beans.

2.  Blend until smooth.

3.  Pour into a serving dish and pour a very thin layer of olive oil on top and sprinkle with parsley.

4.  Serve with toasted pita bread triangles.

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 green onions finely chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped dill

1 cup plain yogurt

Directions:

1.  Peel cucumber.  Cut in half lengthwise.  Clean out seeds.  Cut into small chunks.

2.  Mix cucumber chunks, garlic, green onions, olive oil, vinegar and dill.

3.  Fold in yogurt.

4.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

5.  Serve as a dig with toasted pita bread triangles.

Greek Sweetmeats

Ingredients:

3 1/2 ounces sesame seeds

4 large tablespoons honey

Directions:

1.  Put the sesame seeds into a saucepan with the honey.  Simmer on low heat for 10-20 minutes, until rich golden in color.  It is ready if you drop a spoonful on a wet plate and can work it into a ball.

2.  Take the pan off the heat and stir every few minutes until the mixture is almost cold.

3.  Wet your hands with cold water and roll spoonfuls of the mixture into little balls.

4.  Makes 20-25 little balls.

Himoi Apo Froutta (Fruit Punch)

Ingredients:

1 large can pineapple

1 large can peaches

12-ounce can frozen orange juice

12-ounce can frozen lemonade

Directions:

1.  Combine the four fruits in a blender.  Use the entire contents of the can.  This mixture become a punch base.

2.  Add 1 cup of punch base to 4 cups of cold water and serve very cold.

Baklava

Filling:

2 cups chopped pecans

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Pastry:

1 package prepared phyllo dough

1/2 cup melted butter and a brush

1 cup heated light Karo syrup or honey

Directions:

1.  Combine all of the ingredients for the filling. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2.  On a greased baking sheet with sides, place one sheet of dough.  Brush it with melted butter.

3.  Put another sheet on top and brush with melted butter.  Continue this process until you have seven layers of dough.

4.  Spread the sugar-nut mixture onto the layers of dough.

5.  Place a sheet of dough on top and brush with butter.  Continue this process until you have seven layers of dough on top of the mixture.

6.  Cut into 24 squares and take at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

7.  Remove from the oven and pour the heated syrup or honey while the tray is still hot.

9.  Let the pastry cool and then cover and refrigerate.

10.  Serve at room temperature.