Keep a careful eye on the Lalagithes and turn them until they are golden brown on all sides. If Lalagithes start to get too brown, too quickly you should reduce the heat a bit.

Original article: Lalagithes (Fried Dough for the Feast of Theophany).

When I was very little, I refused to eat eggs in any form, even if the eggs were nestled among crispy golden french fries. Silly, I know. Always ahead of her time, Yiayia realized that she just needed to ‘rebrand’ Patates me Avga in order for me to give it a try. She renamed it σκοτάδι, which means ‘darkness’, not because it describes the food in any way, but because it defined my state of awareness while eating this dish. Yiayia was a wise woman. Her trick worked like a charm and I would routinely devour Patates me Avga while blindly clinging to the belief that I did not eat eggs. I’m not sure if the moral of this story is if you add french fries to anything, you can get a kid to eat it? Or…lying to kids is good sometimes? Or… I wasn’t the smartest Greek kid on the block? Either way I’m so glad she tricked me because this dish is a keeper. French fries and eggs…it doesn’t get any simpler and there are few things more satisfying. 

All you will need is a potato, 2 eggs, olive oil, salt & pepper.

Peel and slice the potato to make the french fries. You can fry them in hot oil, or you can do as we did here and bake them at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. If you bake them, drizzle first with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Turn the potatoes half way through the cooking time so they cook evenly and don’t stick to the pan.

Transfer the cooked french fries to a large non-stick skillet over low heat. No need to add extra oil.

In a small bowl add 2 eggs, salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs well and pour over the french fries.

Let the eggs cook slowly over low heat until they are set on the bottom.

Use a spatula to flip the potato & eggs over to cook the other side.

When the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness, transfer to a plate. If you are an Americanaki, you might enjoy a little ketchup on the side. Perfection.

Patates me Avga (Potato & Eggs) Serves 1

Source: Athena Merianos

1 potato

2 eggs

Olive oil

salt & pepper

Peel and slice the potato to make the french fries. You can fry them in hot oil, or you bake them at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. If you bake them, drizzle them first with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Turn the potatoes half way through the cooking time so they cook evenly and don’t stick to the pan.

Transfer the cooked french fries to a large non-stick skillet over low heat. No need to add extra oil. In a small bowl combine eggs, salt and pepper. Beat well and pour over the french fries. Let the eggs cook slowly over low heat until they are set on the bottom. Use a spatula to flip the potato & eggs over to cook the other side. When the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness, transfer to a plate.

Original article: Patates me Avga (Potato & Eggs).

Whether you love fall or dread it, you have to admit it’s a great time for a nice hot bowl of soup. Fasolada is a delicious white bean soup that warms your bones and fills your belly. It also happens to be vegan, so you can pat yourself on the back for making healthy choices while you enjoy this soup. Careful, don’t hurt yourself.

In addition to the beans, Fasolada requires onion, carrot, and celery. Our parents grow celery in their garden…

so that is what we used here, but supermarket celery will work just fine.  You will also need some form of tomato, either tomato sauce or paste or fresh tomato if you have it. Tomato paste  will thicken the soup up a bit and adds more intense flavor. When the soup is almost done, you will add olive oil. Use high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best results. Here are the details…

To make Fasolada you will need a bag of Great Northern Beans, carrot, celery, onion, tomato paste or sauce, and olive oil.

 Pick through the beans and remove any small pebbles or misshapen/broken beans.

Rinse beans and drain.  

Meanwhile, heat 6-8 cups of water in a kettle or pot. Add beans and hot water to a medium sized pot. Boil for 2 minutes uncovered and then cover and set aside for one hour.

While beans are soaking, separate celery leaves from stalks.  Chop celery stalks, carrot and onion. Leave celery leaves whole.

After beans have soaked for an hour, they will be soft on the outside but still crunchy on the inside. Drain the beans and return them to the pot. Add carrots, celery stalks and onion, then add about 5 cups of hot water. The water level should be about 1 inch above the beans.

Fasolada (White Bean Soup) 

Makes 4-6 servings

(Source: Athena Merianos)

Original article: Fasolada (White Bean Soup).

Our parents’ generation grew up during very difficult times in Greece. World War II followed by the Greek Civil War resulted in widespread poverty and unrest. They don’ talk about it very much, but the few stories they do share are pretty harrowing. While our own working-class, immigrant upbringing was modest by American standards, compared to what our parents endured we grew up in the lap of luxury: plenty of food on the table, clean clothes on our backs, and a roof over our heads in a safe environment. Like a lot of American kids we were picky eaters, which was frustrating for parents who knew what it was to be truly hungry. Our Yiayia used to shake her head in disbelief when we rejected the food placed in front of us. One meal that we would always eat was Yahnista Macaronia. For our parents, this food is a symbol of poverty — they ate this in Greece because they had nothing else — so it is more than a little ironic that this is one of our all-time favorite meals. It is one of those simple comfort foods that fills your belly and makes you happy. The spaghetti is cooked in sort of a tomato-onion broth. When the starch from the pasta is released into the broth it transforms into a delicious sauce that coats every bite. Here is how you make it: 

All you will need is spaghetti, one onion, olive oil, water, salt,  pepper, and some form of tomato. We like to use canned pureed tomato because of the smooth, thick consistency. If it is tomato season you can add pureed fresh tomato and it will amp up the flavor.

Dice the onion and sauté in olive oil until translucent. Add the tomato puree and cook for about 15 minutes.

Add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Add 1 tablespoon salt and spaghetti.

It will look like there is not enough water in your pot, but that is the secret to this dish. If you add too much water you’ll wind up with a watery, flavorless sauce. In order to prevent the pasta from sticking, you need to stir frequently. Keep a small pot of water simmering on the stove in case you need to add a bit, but do so with caution. Less water=more flavor. Cook for about 1 or 2 minutes less than what is stated on the package directions. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for about 3 minutes to let the sauce thicken. Add pepper to taste.Serve immediately. Yum.

Yahnista Macaronia (Poor Man’s Spaghetti)

Serves 4

Source: Athena Merianos 

2 T olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1-2 cups tomato puree (you can also use crushed tomatoes, tomato paste or fresh tomatoes. Adjust the amount of tomato to suit your taste)

5 cups water

1 lb pasta

1 T salt

pepper to taste

In a medium sized pot, heat oil over medium heat and add chopped onion. Saute until translucent. Add tomato and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add 5 cups water and bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper and pasta. Adjust heat so the water doesn’t boil too rapidly and stir frequently to keep pasta from sticking (keep small saucepan of water simmering nearby in case you need to add more to the pot to prevent sticking). Cook 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Most of the water should be absorbed leaving a thin tomato sauce. Remove from heat and let sit for 3 minutes. Stir to distribute the sauce, adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Original article: Yahnista Macaronia (Poor Man’s Spaghetti).

Don’t you want a bite of that right now? Lagana is basically the Greek version of focaccia — both are flat breads baked with olive oil. Focaccia is usually soft throughout but lagana has a crunchy crust with a soft center. Lagana was a special treat in our house when we were growing up. Yiayia baked bread almost every week, and if we were lucky she would save some of the dough to make a pan of lagana that would be devoured in minutes. It is insanely good, especially if you use high quality olive oil. We are lucky to receive a steady supply of amazing olive oil from our family’s village of Krokees, and that is what we used here. To make lagana, follow the basic instructions for Yiayia’s Bread. We have adjusted the ingredients in the recipe below to make enough dough for one pan of lagana.  If you don’t have the time, energy or desire to make your own dough you could use ready-made pizza dough. It won’t be as delicious as the homemade version, but it will still taste pretty great. 

Coat a shallow pan with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Add dough to the pan and stretch it gently with your hands…

until it looks like this.

Score the dough before baking, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.  Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes. Poke a hole in each square with a toothpick and place in a COLD oven. Set the oven to 450. When the oven reaches 450 continue baking the lagana for about 25 minutes or until it is golden brown.

Slice and enjoy.  Trust us, it won’t last long.

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon yeast
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup water
2 T good quality olive oil
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Follow the instructions for YiaYia’s Bread found here. After the dough has risen twice (or if you are using ready-made pizza dough) proceed with the instructions below.

Spread about 1 T of olive oil onto the bottom of a 12×17 pan. You could use a jelly roll pan or other shallow baking pan with sides. Place the dough in the center of the pan and use your hands to gently and evenly spread the dough out to the sides of the pan. Score the dough (cut lightly, not all the way through) into squares .

Drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil and spread the oil over the dough with your hands. Sprinkle the dough with sea salt or kosher salt to taste. Cover the prepared dough with plastic wrap followed by a clean towel and let sit for approximately 30 minutes so the dough can rise one more time.

Poke each square with a toothpick. Set your oven to 450 and place the prepared pan into the cold oven. Do NOT preheat the oven. When the oven temperature reaches 450, bake for an additional 25 minutes or until bread is golden brown.

© kouzina cousins. 2014.

Original article: Lagana.

Given the frigid temps we’ve been dealing with in the Northeast it’s hard to believe that lent started last week and Easter is around the corner. During lent, Greek Orthodox Christians practice varying degrees of “fasting”. No, not a trendy juice fast. In the Greek church, fasting means abstaining from all animal products: meat, dairy, eggs, and most fish. Some fast for the entire 40 day lenten period, some only on Wednesdays and Fridays, others just during Holy Week. In our house lent meant peanut butter sandwiches in our lunch boxes and plenty of Lentil Soup. Luckily this soup is delicious, especially with a hunk of fresh homemade bread on the side. As an added bonus, using the Greek word for this soup – “fakes” (fah-KESS) – lets you feel like you are getting away with swearing at the dinner table. :) 

Lentil Soup (Fakes) Serves 6-8

Source: Athena Merianos via Effie Eraklis

1 lb. bag dry lentils

9 cups of water

1 large onion, diced

1 carrot, diced (optional)

2-3 garlic cloves, diced

2-3 bay leaves

1 TBLS cumin

1 6 oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper (to taste, some people leave it out completely)

Red wine vinegar (for serving)

Pick through the dry lentils to remove any small pebbles or discolored beans. Add the lentils to a large pot with about 9 cups of water (the water should be about four times the height of the lentils)*.   Add the onion, carrot (if using), garlic and bay leaves.  SLOWLY bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a rapid simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Be sure not to bring to a boil too quickly or simmer at too high a heat because that will cause the lentils to pop open.

Add tomato sauce, cumin, salt & pepper (if using) and cook for 15 minutes more. Add olive oil and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until beans are soft. Adjust seasoning to suit taste. Total cooking time is one hour.

Once the soup is served, each person can (and should!) add a splash or two of red wine vinegar to his/her bowl. The vinegar really brings this soup alive, but too much can be overpowering. As Thea Athenoula said when she was teaching me how to make this ‘you can always put more, but you can’t take it out if you put too much…ok?’.

*Feel free to adjust the water according to your preference. More water will make it soupier, less water will make it thicker. You may want to keep a small pot or kettle of water boiling on the side. That way if the beans have absorbed a lot of water and are still hard, or the soup is looking too thick, you can adjust by adding a bit of hot water.

 Serving suggestions: As we mentioned above, this soup is perfect with a great crusty bread for dipping.  Try it with some feta sprinkled on top – so good! Also, although it’s intended as a hot soup, cold leftovers are delicious.

Photos: Effie Eraklis

Original article: Lentil Soup (Fakes).

Arguably the most famous of Greek dishes, no gathering of Greeks is complete without Spanakopita. This is one of those recipes that our mothers and aunts know how to make with their eyes closed. They don’t measure anything, and when you ask them how much of an ingredient to use they say things like “αρκετό” (enough) or “μπόλικο” (a lot). Not very helpful, right? Our Mom was starting to get a little annoyed with us while she made this Spanakopita because we kept stopping her to measure things. You will see her beautiful hands in a lot of these pictures. Those hands make a mean Spanakopita. 

For the filling you’ll need spinach, leeks, scallions, dill, parsley, eggs and, of course, feta cheese.

Split the leek lengthwise and rinse it under cold water to remove any dirt. Then split it lengthwise again, and chop it up. Chop the scallions while you’re at it.

Saute the leek and scallions in olive oil until they are soft, then set the pan aside to let them cool a bit.

Add spinach leaves to a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and massage the leaves to soften them up and wilt them.  We used baby spinach here.  If you use regular spinach you will want to remove the thick stems and chop the leaves up a bit.  You can also use frozen spinach. Just defrost it first and then squeeze out all of the excess liquid. So many options.

Crumble 2/3 of the feta into the spinach. Note how the spinach looks after it has been  “massaged”. It is wilted and has reduced in volume.

Chop up the parsley and dill.

Add the chopped parsley and dill to the spinach, along with the sautéed leeks and scallions. Combine very well and then drizzle with olive oil. Beat eggs in a small bowl until just combined and add to spinach mixture. Combine well and set spinach mixture aside.

Grab your pan.  We used a 13×9 inch pan with 2 inch sides. Brush the pan with olive oil and then lay 2 sheets of phyllo across the bottom of the pan. The phyllo should hang over the sides of the pan. Brush the phyllo with more olive oil, and then repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo. See our post on Tiropitakia for more detail about working with phyllo dough. You will be using whole sheets of phyllo here, so no need to cut them in advance.  If you are not as quick with phyllo dough as our Mom, you should cover the sheets that are not in use with a slightly damp cloth so that they don’t dry out. 

Pour the spinach mixture into the pan, then take the rest of the feta cheese and sprinkle it evenly over the spinach.

Fold the overhanging phyllo 2 sheets at a time into the pan to partially cover the spinach mixture. Brush with olive oil.  Repeat with the remaining 2 sheets of overhanging phyllo.

Fold one sheet of phyllo in half and lay it over the exposed spinach. Brush with olive oil.

Cover the entire pan with 1 full sheet of phyllo.  Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut around the edges of the phyllo so that it is just slightly larger than the internal perimeter of the pan and then use a knife to tuck the edges of the phyllo neatly down into the sides of the pan. Brush with olive oil. Repeat with 3 more sheets of phyllo, brushing with olive oil between each layer.  Sprinkle a little water over the entire pan to help the sheets of phyllo stick together when you cut into the spanakopita.

Before you pop this in the oven, you need to score the phyllo (cut it, but not very thoroughly).  You can make the portions as large or small as you would like.  We made 3 horizontal cuts to create 4 rows, and then made vertical cuts on the diagonal to create diamond shaped pieces.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until it looks as golden as this and your house smells like Greek heaven.  Let it cool for about 15 minutes before cutting, using the lines you cut before baking as your guide.

Spanakopita can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)

Source: Athena Merianos

Original article: Spanakopita (Spinach Pie).

After the gluttony of Thanksgiving, does anyone else feel the need to ingest nothing but vegetables for the next couple of days?  If so, here is a recipe for you — but first you should understand something about Greek vegetables.  They are shall we say “cooked through”.  Never crisp or crunchy. When we were kids we might have described them as “mushy”, but now that we are all grown up and know better we use the term “velvety” instead.

Here’s how you make them… 

You’ll need green beans, onion, either fresh or canned tomatoes, parsley, salt & pepper

Saute a diced onion in some olive oil until soft.

Add the green beans to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, then add just a little water and cover.

Peel a couple of fresh tomatoes, dice them, and add some salt. Let them sit a bit.  Or just use about a cup of canned crushed tomatoes. See the complete recipe below for more about fresh vs canned tomatoes. It’s fascinating.

Add the tomatoes to the green beans. Combine well, then cover and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.

Before serving, sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Kali Orexi !

Fasolakia Yahni  (Green beans in tomato sauce) Serves 4-6

Source: Athena Merianos

Original article: Fasolakia Yahni (Green Beans in Tomato Sauce).