GREEK GOURMET DISHES

 

 

                         GIGANDES, CHESTNUTS AND PRUNES STIFADO

In Greece, large white beans are called gigandes, which means giants!

 

500 g (1 lb) gigandes beans, soaked overnight in water

500 g (1 lb) chestnuts, cooked in slightly salted water and peeled

500 g (1 lb) pearl onions, peeled

125 ml (½ cup) olive oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

250 ml (1 cup) red wine

1 bay leaf

1 thyme sprig

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups pitted prunes

 

Strain the beans and boil them in salted water for 40 minutes until soft, strain and reserve.

 

Sauté the onion in olive oil until it becomes translucent, stirring occasionally.  Add the pearl onions and cook over high heat until they caramelize.  Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes more.  Pour in the vinegar and when it evaporates pour in the wine and simmer gently until reduced by half.

 

Add the tomatoes and herbs and simmer for 20 minutes, and finally add the chestnuts and simmer for 10 further minutes.  Discard the herbs.

 

Place the beans in a Pyrex dish, pour over the chestnut stifado, the pitted prunes, stir and bake in an oven preheated to 200 C (394 F) for 20 minutes more.

 

 

                                               CHEESE PIE SOUFFLE

1 ½ k (3 lb) phyllo pastry, divided

 

½ kg (1 lb) feta, crumbled

1 kg (2 lb) anthotyro, crumbled

2 tsp baking powder

 

375 ml (1 ½) cup milk whipped with

125 ml ( ½ ) cup cream

3 eggs

Salt, freshly ground pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste

 

Olive oil to brush the tin

Butter for the phyllo pastry

 

Preheat to 180 C (350 F).

Wet each sheet of ½ the phyllo pastry in the milk, cream and egg mixture and place in an oiled Pyrex dish.  Spoon the crumbled feta and anthotyro, evenly over and sprinkle with the baking powder. Cover with the remaining sheets of phyllo, each, lavishly, brushed with butter. Pour the remaining milk, cream and egg mixture over and bake for 30-40 minutes, until puffed and golden.  

 

 

     

                                             CEPHALONIAN MEAT PIE

Here is the recipe for a famous Greek pie,

Pastry:

500 g (1lb) plain flour

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp mustard powder

160 ml (about 2/3 cup) warm olive oil

(2 tbsp olive oil mixed with

1 beaten egg for brushing over the pie)

 

Filling:

500 g (1 lb) lamb, fat discarded and cubed and sauteed in olive oil

500 g (1 lb) veal, fat discarded and cubed and sauteed in olive oil

4 tbsp short grain rice

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 medium, sized potatoes, peeled and cubed

100 g (1 cup) grated kefalotyri or Parmesan

4 tbsp fresh saphiho (marjoram) finely chopped

4 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and cubed

2 tbsp olive oil

125 ml (½ cup) wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp grated nutmeg

250 ml (1 cup) meat stock

60 g (2 oz) kephalotyri or pecorino, grated

12 prunes, stoned

2 tbsp butter

 

Sift flour, salt and mustard powder in a large bowl and pour in the olive oil and rub until the mixture resembles crumbs.  Pour in the wine and knead until a soft pliable dough is formed.  Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours at least.

 

On a working surface, sprinkled with cornflour, roll out 2/3 of the dough as thinly as possible.  Drape it over a generously oiled baking tin, 30 cm (12 in) in diameter. Spoon in the filling and level the top.  Pour in enough stock to barely cover, tuck in the cheese cubes and prunes evenly over and dot with butter.  Roll out the remaining pastry and cover the pie.  Press together to seal and score slits on the top.  Brush with the oil and egg mixture and bake in  an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 1 hour until crisp and golden.       

   

 

 

                               CHICKEN PIE WITH SOUR CREAM PASTRY

Pastry:

2 cups plain flour

240 g (8 oz) cold butter, cut into small pieces

5 tbsp sour cream

Salt to taste

 

4 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp butter

240 g  (8 oz) mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 carrots, scraped and thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, threaded and thinly sliced

1 cup baby artichokes hearts, chopped

 

Sauce:

4 tbsp butter

4 tbsp plain flour

1 bay leaf

1 ¾ cups chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

 

1 egg

3 tsp cream

 

In a food processor, place all the pastry ingredients and pulse until a soft, pliable dough is formed. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour at least.  Sauté the sliced mushrooms in butter until cooked and dry.

 

In a small saucepan, bring 500 ml (2 cups) of water to the boil, add the carrots and celery and cover and simmer for 12 minutes, or until tender and drain well.  Combine the chicken with the mushrooms and vegetables and the artichokes and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Place the butter and bay leaf in a saucepan and cook until butter foams, sift in the four and stir for 2-3 minutes or more to prevent the taste of raw flour.  Slowly add the chicken broth and continue cooking and stirring until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Add the cream and parsley.  Taste and add salt if necessary and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Discard the bay leaf and pour the sauce over the chicken/vegetable mixture.

 

Roll out the pastry, lay over the dish and crimp the edges.  With a sharp knife cut small slits all over the pastry and bake for 40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.

 

 

                                  

                                                   SEAFOOD STEW

 

A tasty Greek seafood dish.

 

120 g (4 oz) onions, peeled and finely chopped

75 g (2 ½ oz) green peppers, seeded the white pith removed and finely chopped

3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 tbsp olive oil

500 g (1 lb) clams, scrubbed, string removed and cooked in a white wine until they open,  strain and reserve the cooking liquid

500 g (1 lb) squid, cleaned and cut into strips

500g (1 lb) prawns, deveined and thoroughly washed and patted dry  

500 ml (2 cups) dry white wine

3 tbsp finely chopped parsley

 

Place the onions, peppers, tomatoes, chopped garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well together.

 

Place half the vegetables in a large heavy casserole, pour 4 tbsp olive oil over.   Scatter the squid and prawns over.  Spread the remaining vegetable mixture on top and pour in the wine.  Bring to the boil over high heat and then reduce the heat, cover the saucepan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the squid and prawns are cooked.  Add the reserved clams with their juices and cook for 2 minutes more.

 

Arrange the clams, prawns and squid attractively over steamed rice and ladle the sauce over.  Serve sprinkled with parsley.

 

 

  

                      SWEET POTATO, FETA AND CARAMELISED ONION QUICHE

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed and set aside

150 g (5 oz) feta, crumbled

6 eggs, lightly beaten

125 ml (½ cup) light cream

1 tsp smoked paprika

60 g (2 oz) sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbsp Greek honey

Pastry:

210 g (7 oz) plain flour

150 g (5 oz) cold butter, cubed

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp thyme leaves

1 tbsp vinegar

 

For the pastry place flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl, rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and thyme leaves. Combine the vinegar with ¼ cup water in a jug with 4 ice cubes and drain over the flour mixture and mix until a shaggy dough is formed.  Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 2 hours at least.

 

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).  Roll our dough, thinly, and line a 30 cm (12 in) round buttered pyrex dish. Trim excess, line with parchment and fill with weights bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Then remove the parchment an weights and bake for 20 minutes more.

 

Reduce the heat to 160 C.   Sauté the onions and salt in olive oil, stirring constantly for 12 minutes until caramelised.  Cool and add to the pastry case with half the rosemary leaves and 100 g feta.  Whisk eggs, cream and paprika in a bowl, season to taste and pour into the pastry case.  Brush the sweet potatoes with honey and arrange over the filling. Scatter with the remaining feta and rosemary and bake for 1 hour until just set.  Cool slightly and serve.

                                   ASPARAGUS FETA AND HAM QUICHE

A delightful fist dish.  I use the same pastry as above without the thyme leaves.

 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 leek, sliced in half thoroughly washed and thickly sliced

4 thin slices of ham, chopped

6 eggs, lightly whipped

80 ml (1/3 cup) cream

210 g (7 oz) feta, crumbled

60 g (2 oz) finely grated San Mihalis to serve

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and finely sliced

Thinly sliced spring onions

Chopped parsley

 

Preheat oven to 160 C ( F).  Roll out the pastry, line and bake the pastry case as mentioned in the previous recipe, remove from the oven and cool.   

 

Sauté the leek and ham in olive oil stirring for 5 minutes.  Stir in the eggs and cream and then, add the feta and arrange the asparaguses evenly over.  Sprinkle with San Mihalis and bake for 45 – 50 minutes until puffed and golden.  Serve sprinkled with chopped spring onions and parsley.

 

 

                                                 POTATO TIMBALE

A lovely side dish.

 

1 ½ kg (3 lb) potatoes, boiled in salted water, peeled and mashed

4 eggs, whipped

250 ml (1 cup) milk or more

150 g (5 oz) finely grated San Mihalis

1 ½ tbsp. butter

 

Filling:

750 g (1 ½ lb) champignon mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped

1 clove garlic minced

1 tbsp olive oil

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

½ cup chopped parsley

 

Stir the mashed potatoes with the whipped eggs, milk, grated cheese, butter, freshly ground white pepper and a little salt, if necessary, until very well combined.

 

Sauté the chopped mushroom and garlic in olive oil, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground white pepper stirring until the cooking liquid is absorbed and the mushrooms are tender, for  about  12-15 minutes.  Stir in the parsley.

 

Place half the mashed potato mixture in a buttered mould, spoon in the chopped mushrooms, cover with the remaining potatoes, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 25-30 minutes until puffed and golden.