World Recipes

Greek Butter Biscuits (Koulourakia Voutirou)

Posted by LladyRusty at recipegoldmine.com 6/8/01 9:18:08 am

Source: greekcuisine.com

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups (approximately) flour
1 beaten egg
2 teaspoons baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add the egg and egg yolks and beat until light and

fluffy. Add flour - sifted with baking powder- knead to make a soft dough, chill for an hour and form into small rings. Arrange on greased baking sheets, brush with beaten egg and bake in a moderate oven for about 10-12 minutes.

Servings: 40

Greek Chicken

6 skinless chicken breasts
1 large can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato puree
1 can sliced mushrooms
1 can ripe olives
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon oregano
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup wine or brandy (optional)
2 cups uncooked rice
Salt to taste

Wash and remove fat from chicken. Bake in 350 degree F oven for about an hour.

Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients except rice. Put chicken and sauce in a crockpot on LOW heat and cook for at least 4 hours to blend flavors.

Before serving, cook rice according to directions.

Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

Serves 6.

Greek Honey Cream

Posted by liz at recipegoldmine.com May 19, 2001

Source: Bon Appetit magazine, February 1990

Yield: 8 servings

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds*
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cashews
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
1 cup honey
1 cup chilled whipping cream

*Note: Almonds should be blanched.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place all nuts in baking pan. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Using electric mixer, beat honey in large bowl until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Whip cream in another large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold nuts into cream. Gently fold cream into honey, leaving a few steaks of cream. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled and slightly set, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.)

Place dollop of honey cream on each plate. Surround with fruit and serve.

Servings: 8

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

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.

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 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.

Pontica (Orange Cake in Syrup)

Cake
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
6 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

Syrup
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 x 12-inch pan with 1/4 cup melted butter.

Make syrup by combining orange juice, water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Allow to cool.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

In another bowl, beat egg yolks until light yellow. To yolks add sugar, orange rind and vanilla extract; cream well.

Mix flour and baking powder together, set aside.

To egg yolk mixture, add egg whites, alternating with 2 tablespoons of flour, ending with egg whites. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven; cut into diamond shapes. Pour cold syrup over hot cake. Let cool completely before serving.