Pastitsio Me Damaskina apo tin Syro–Pastitsio with Prunes from Syros

Pastitsio is one of my favorite foods, so when I heard that the latest A Taste of the Mediterranean event hosted by Tony Tahhan and Peter Minakis was going to focus on Greece and more importantly, pastitsio, I was thrilled. I have to admit though, I was almost all pastitsio-ed out as I recently used a bit of creative energy to put together this version for the Royal Foodie Joust. But then again, I don’t think I can ever get sick of pastitsio … Pastitsio is a rustic dish with plenty of comfort-food appeal and it’s one I quickly associate with family and

Ladokouloura me Mastiha kai Glykaniso Kai Pasta Elias–Savory Bread Rings w/ Mastic-Anise and an Olive Tapenade

Ladokouloura are an oil-based Greek biscuit/bread ring/biscotti that can take on a multitude of forms from sweet to savory. The sweet kind pair perfectly with a steamy cup of coffee or tea, while the savory are an ideal snack to offer up with some light meze or various dips and spreads. Aglaia Kremezi’s Foods of the Greek Islands features a flavorful recipe for ladokouloura, which I adapted here. Kremezi’s recipe is fairly simple enough (requiring the dough to merely make a few turns in the food processor followed by a little kneading by hand), but I wanted to

Tsiknopempti

I can hardly believe that we’ve begun celebrations for Lent when it seems we’ve just finished with Christmas/New Year celebrations. I know, I know: it’s middle of February already and I should get a grip. But I just don’t know where the days go. Yesterday Greeks in Greece and abroad celebrated what is known as Tsiknopempti (pronounced tseek-no-PEMP-tee). Literally translated as the “Thursday of meat grilling,” Tsiknopempti is a celebration of the meat many will forgo for the 40 days of Lent. In Greece, city and town governments

Sausage Ragu over Ziti

I love dishes with tomato sauces and there are weeks when it seems that tomato can easily make its way into each and every one of our meals. There are some dishes for which I can make a larger batch of tomato sauce, that I can then ration accordingly and refrigerate or freeze for future use. This sausage ragu came about from some tomato sauce I had saved upon making this Chicken Stuffed with Trahanas, but I also provide a quick recipe for the same sauce below. Nothing fancy here; just a simple sauce with some sweet Italian sausage served over ziti. An ideal weeknight meal

Kotopoulo Youvetsi–Chicken Baked with Orzo

In the last couple of weeks, I have come to realize what food blogging is really supposed to be about: Sharing good food with new-found, generous and truly sincere friends. Personally, I find myself regularly looking forward to my peers’ posts, not to criticize their cooking methods and the food that graces their tables, but to share in their insights and thoughts; to have a sneak peek at their lives in Athens, Crete, Sydney, Alaska, Canada, Malaysia, India, Italy, Spain, England, France and so many other places around the world. I have found blogging refreshing and

Troufes (Frozen Chocolate Truffles) for BloggerAid

Troufes are a Greek version of frozen chocolate truffles. They are a simple, sweet treat that can easily be made ahead and stored in the freezer to have on hand for any unexpected guests dropping by for an afternoon coffee/tea.I remember devouring these little chocolate confections as a kid when a friend of the family would make them for every birthday or holiday gathering she hosted. So, I recently decided to try my hand at Troufes and came up with this quick recipe, a tad different from those I ate as a child, but no less scrumptious. Want this recipe? You’ll have