Tzatziki

Tzatziki

Ingredients:
3 Persian cucumber or 1 English cucumber
½ teaspoon salt
1-½ cups Greek yogurt
1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp fresh chopped dill(increase or decrease according to taste)
3 garlic cloves /minced
2 tbsp fresh chopped mint
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Grate the cucumbers. Toss cucumbers with salt in a small bowl. Firmly squeeze several times with your hands to release excess water. Drain.

Mix cucumbers, yogurt, lemon juice, herbs and garlic in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix is well

When ready to serve, stir the tzatziki sauce to refresh and transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Add a side of warm pita bread, falafel, and your favorite vegetables.

Shrimp Saganaki

Shrimp Saganaki

Ingredients
2 tablespoons each of extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 plum tomatoes (1 1/4 pounds), coarsely chopped
Salt
Crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds shelled and deveined large shrimp, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 ounces Greek feta cheese, crumbled
Crusty bread, for serving

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and crushed red pepper and cook until softened, crushing them with the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. 

Add the shrimp and olives and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the dill and half of the feta and cook just until the feta is hot, about 1 minute. Transfer to shallow bowls, sprinkle with the remaining feta and serve with crusty bread.

Suggested Pairing
Grapefruit-scented Moschofilero.

Homemade Pita Bread

Homemade Pita Bread

We were served a fresh puffed up baked dough with marinara sauce as an appetizer or snack at Pebble Beach.  So happy to have this recipe.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour (35 Grams), preferably freshly milled
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purposed flour (310 Grams)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Make sponge: Put 1 cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Add the whole-wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and whisk together. Put bowl in a warm (not hot) place, uncovered, until mixture is frothy and bubbling, about 15 minutes.

Add salt, olive oil and nearly all remaining all-purpose flour (reserve 1/2 cup). With a wooden spoon or a pair of chopsticks, stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass. Dust with a little reserved flour, then knead in bowl for 1 minute, incorporating any stray bits of dry dough. 

Turn dough onto work surface. Knead lightly for 2 minutes, until smooth. Cover and let rest 10 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes. Try not to add too much reserved flour; the dough should be soft and a bit moist. (At this point, dough may refrigerated in a large zippered plastic bag for several hours or overnight. Bring dough back to room temperature, knead into a ball and proceed with recipe.) 

Clean the mixing bowl and put dough back in it. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then cover with a towel. Put bowl in a warm (not hot) place. Leave until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 475 degrees. On bottom shelf of oven, place a heavy-duty baking sheet, large cast-iron pan or ceramic baking tile. Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces of equal size. Form each piece into a little ball. Place dough balls on work surface, cover with a damp towel and leave for 10 minutes. 

Remove 1 ball (keeping others covered) and press into a flat disc with rolling pin. Roll to a 6-inch circle, then to an 8-inch diameter, about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour if necessary. (The dough will shrink a bit while baking.) 

Carefully lift the dough circle and place quickly on hot baking sheet. After 2 minutes the dough should be nicely puffed. Turn over with tongs or spatula and bake 1 minute more. 

The pita should be pale, with only a few brown speckles. Transfer warm pita to a napkin-lined basket and cover so bread stays soft. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

20 ounces curly leaf spinach, rinsed
1/4 cup water
12 ounces feta, crumbled into fine pieces
3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
4 medium scallions,thinly sliced
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 red onion chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 pound phyllo, thawed over night in the refrigerator
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano

Directions:

Place the spinach and water in a large microwave-save bowl. Cover the bowl with a large dinner plate. Microwave on high until the spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half (about 5 minutes). Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave and keep covered for 1 minute.

Remove the plate and transfer the spinach to a colander in the sink. Using the back of a rubber spatula, press the spinach against the colander to release the excess liquid. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and roughly chop. Wrap the spinach in paper towels and squeeze to remove excess water. Transfer the spinach to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients up to and including the cayenne pepper to the bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Grease a pie or cake pan with melted butter. Lay one phyllo sheet on the buttered pan, pressing the dough into the corners and letting the edges hang over the edge of the pan. Repeat with 9 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter until you have a total of 10 layers of phyllo.

Spread the spinach mixture evenly over the phyllo. Fold the edges of the bottom layer of phyllo over the filling. Add 6 more phyllo sheets to the top, brushing each with butter and sprinkling each with 2 tablespoons Pecorino cheese. Add 2 final phyllo sheets, brushing them with butter but not sprinkling with the Pecorino. Trim the edges, then use a spoon to neaten the edges of the pastry case.

Use a sharp knife to score the pie through the top 3 layers of phyllo into 8 even pieces of pie. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden and crisp. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Tzatziki Sauce

TZATZIKI SAUCE

(makes 3 cups)

Ingredients
2 cups plain Greek yogurt 
2 cups diced cucumber
1/2 cup fresh dill minced
2 teaspoons fresh mint minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

*

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. Chill before serving.

Simple Greek Salad Recipe

Simple Greek Salad Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 head of lettuce, (green leaf, red leaf or 
    romaine) cut in thin strips

1/2 cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 

   no salt added, drained and rinsed1/2 red onion,  

   finely sliced

1/2 cup crumbled fat-free or low fat feta or 
   shredded Parmesan

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

*

Directions:

In a large bowl toss lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, cheese and onion.

*

In a small bowl whisk olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder and pepper.

*

Pour dressing over salad mixture and toss.  If desired, garnish with hard boiled egg and Kalmata olives.