It takes just a few minutes to create and adds tons of flavor to any type of chicken. You can easily use it to add flavor to chicken for a meal or to great delicious grilled chicken for your next barbecue.

Greek Marinade for Chicken

Greek chicken marinade is a simple to prepare marinade to make your chicken more flavorful without a lot of extra work.

Marinades are used for all kinds of meat and this one could be adapted to other meats but is definitely a star when added with chicken.

• Easy to make: Marinade takes just a few minutes to prepare.
• Use with any type of chicken: You can add any cut of chicken into the marinade.

Greek marinade for Chicken with yogurt 

It is definitely best to use Greek yogurt for this recipe if you have it, because the yogurt works to tenderize the chicken. However, if you don’t have any Greek yogurt, you can use plain natural yogurt and it will work in a similar way.

If you don’t have any kind of yogurt you could use lemon juice as stated at the recipe below.

Tip: Depending on what you are serving with the chicken, you can add a teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika to the marinade for extra flavor.

Key Ingredients Greek Marinade for Chicken

Marinade: The marinade is made up of olive oil, lemon, garlic cloves, yogurt and red wine vinegar with dried oregano and runny honey in the mixture.

Chicken: You can use any type of chicken for the piece, thighs, breasts or chicken pieces. It is also optional if you want to have the skin on or off. You’ll want around 1lb or 1 ½ ounce for this recipe.

Greek chicken marinade Key Preparation Tips

Take a large bowl or a ziplock bag and add the oil, lemon zest, crushed and peeled garlic and Greek yogurt. Mix in the oregano, honey, and red wine vinegar and season with salt and black pepper. Use a whisk to combine them.

Take the chicken and add to the marinade bowl or bag then put in the fridge for a minimum of two hours, ideally overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (390 F) and roast the marinated chicken for 20-30 minutes depending on the size. You might need nearer 40 minutes for something like bone in chicken thighs.

Tip: If you used chicken with skin on, transfer them to a grill and heat until the skin is crispy with a good level of caramelization.

How to cook the marinated chicken on the grilled pan or barbecue

If you want to grill the chicken instead, use a direct heat to caramelize the meat before moving it to the edge of the pan to cook indirectly.

I do not recommend the griddle pan method, only the barbecue for skin on or bone in pieces of chicken, though skin on, bone in chicken thighs can be browned in the pan before being transferred to the oven to cook through.

Variations

There are two main variations for this Greek Marinade for chicken. First one is with yogurt and the second one is with lemon juice.

While I always use olive oil for marinades, you can switch the type of oil you use depending on the style of dish you want to use the chicken in. So you could use sesame oil for Asian style dishes or canola or vegetable oil for Mexican or American style dishes.

Making ahead of time and storing

You can store the cooked chicken for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container and reheat it to use in different recipes.

Can you reuse leftover marinade?

You shouldn’t reuse a marinade that has contained uncooked chicken unless it has been cooked in some way. That’s because there’s harmful bacteria that can come from raw chicken and pass through the marinade.

As a best practice, if you want to use your marinade more than once, simply set aside a portion of the marinade in the fridge before you add the raw chicken. This leftover marinade can be safely used later for 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions

You can serve the chicken as it or can serve it alongside other Greek favorites such as salads:

1. Greek Orzo Salad (Orzo feta salad)
2. Traditional Greek salad (Xoriatiki)
3. Delicious Greek Lentil Salad Recipe with Feta cheese (Fakes Salata)
4. Refreshing Watermelon Feta Salad recipe
5. Grilled Halloumi and Roasted Vegetables Salad Recipe
6. Greek Pasta Salad recipe
7. Greek chickpea salad

You could also serve it alongside some easy lemon rice, Greek lemon potatoes or vegetable dishes you love.

Other delicious chicken recipes

• Chicken souvlaki 
• Giouvetsi kotopoulo (Greek orzo and chicken)
• Lemony Greek rice pilaf with chicken legs 
• Greek chicken pie (kotopita)
• Greek lemon chicken and potatoes (kotopoulo lemonato)
• Homemade Greek chicken gyro 
• Greek lemon chicken soup (Kotosoupa Avgolemono)

Find out how to make Greek yogurt from scratch with my super easy recipe!

Greek marinade for chicken

(19 votes, average: 4.37 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 portions
• Category: Main
• Method: Grilled
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

All you need to take your chicken to the next level is a simple yet full of Mediterranean flavours marinade! And I have just the perfect Greek marinade for chicken for you to try!

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Ingredients

For Greek chicken marinade

• 90ml extra virgin olive oil (1/3 cup)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt (or the juice of 1 lemon) 
• 1 tbsp dried oregano 
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 500g chicken thighs, breasts, or other chicken pieces, skin on or off (1 lb 1 1/2 oz)

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  Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes…

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  Crispy Greek Chicken Casserole…

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl or ziplock bag combine the oil, lemon zest, garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, Greek yogurt (or the juice of the lemon, if you don’t have any Greek yogurt to hand), dried oregano, honey, red wine vinegar, salt and plenty of black pepper. Whisk to combine.
2. Add your choice of chicken pieces and marinate in the fridge for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.
3. In the oven: In a 200 degrees (390 fahrenheit) oven roast the chicken pieces for 20-30 minutes depending on their size (40 minutes for bone in chicken thighs) until the meat is cooked through. If the pieces still have their skin, finish them under a hot grill if needed to get nice crispy skin and a good level of caramelisation. 
4. On a griddle pan or barbecue: Cook on a direct heat until the meat is caramelised before moving to the edge of the pan or an area of indirect heat to cook through. We do not recommend the griddle pan method, only the barbecue for skin on or bone in pieces of chicken, though skin on, bone in chicken thighs can be browned in the pan before being transferred to the oven to cook through. 

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Keywords: greek marinade for chicken, greek yogurt marinade for chicken, greek lemon marinade for chicken

The post Greek Marinade for Chicken with Yogurt appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So, if you want to try something beyond traditional Greek dishes but stick with something that many Greeks enjoy, Imam Bayildi is a perfect idea. This dish is a classic of Ottoman and “Politiki” cuisine, that is the best way to serve eggplants (or aubergines if you like) and is really easy to make!

What is Imam Bayildi?

Imam Bayildi is a classic vegetarian dish that can be served as a main or side dish. The story behind the name of the dish is that the first Imam to try it was so impressed by the flavor that he fainted! So the dish is called ‘the imam fainted’ in Turkish.

What you’ll need to make Imam Bayildi the traditional way

You can make this Imam Bayildi recipe at any time of the year but to get the best results, it is worth using summer aubergines and the best tomatoes. But if you can’t get good quality plum tomatoes, you can use the tinned variety. You might find you need to add some sugar to the sauce as tinned tomatoes tend to be a bit more acidic and the sauce will be sharper.

Imam Bayildi Key Ingredients

Basics: For this imam Bayildi recipe, you will want 1 large eggplant per 2 portions you want to create. You’ll also want onion and garlic cloves along with plum tomatoes for the basics of the dish.

Seasoning: To add flavor to the ingredients, use cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and either a little fresh parsley or mint. Have some tomato puree to use to bind them together and a little black pepper to finish.

Key Preparation steps 

There are three main steps involved with this Imam Bayildi recipe:

1. Prepare the eggplant
2. Make the filling 
3. Finish the dish

Prepare the eggplant 

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees (300 F). Half the eggplant and score the flesh with a cross-hatch marking with the tip of the knife, being careful not to break the skin. Rub plenty of salt into the flesh and set it aside.

Measure the olive oil in a cup or jug and keep it to one side by the stove. Add more oil to a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat then fry the eggplant in batches, adding more oil as needed. The flesh needs to be golden.

Place the cooked eggplant in a baking dish snugly.

Make the filling for Imam Bayildi 

Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and cook the thinly sliced onions with a bit of oil and salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and starting to change color.

Finely slice the garlic cloves and add them to the pan then cook for another few minutes until soft and aromatic.
Roughly dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan, cooking for another 5 minutes until breaking down into a rough sauce.

Stir in the cumin, paprika, oregano and fresh herbs with tomato puree and season with salt and black pepper.

Tip: If you don’t like tomato skins in your sauce, the easiest thing to do is make a small cross on the top of each tomato with a sharp knife. Then submerge them in some boiled water. Once the water is cool enough to put your hands in, remove the tomatoes and the skin will come off.

Finish the dish

Remove the filling from the heat and stir in 4 tablespoons of water.

Use a spoon to add the mixture over the cut sides of the eggplant then drizzle with olive oil and cover the dish with foil.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and has collapsed.

Leave to stand and serve warm or at room temperature.

Do you need to salt eggplants?

You may have heard that you need to salt eggplants before cooking them, but is this really necessary? Modern eggplant varieties are bred to be less bitter, so in most cases, there’s no need to salt them.

However, if you find that the eggplants you usually buy are bitter, or if you’re using an heirloom variety, it’s worth salting them.

To do this, simply season the eggplant halves with salt and leave them to sit for 30 minutes. This will help to remove any bitterness. Rinse the salt off and squeeze out any excess moisture before proceeding with the recipe.

It may seem strange to double-salt them, but the key to a delicious dish is to be bold with the seasoning!

Making ahead of time and storing

If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool then store them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

You can freeze it once it is cold and use a freezer-safe bag or container. Store for no more than 3 months and allow to defrost overnight before reheating in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Serving suggestions

Imam Bayildi is great on its own but you can also serve it as part of a meze-style meal. You can serve it with some plain rice or steamed vegetables but avoid anything too spicy as this could make the meal too strongly flavored.

Love eggplant? More recipes to try

Take a look at my some of my favorite Greek eggplant recipes like:

1. Traditional Moussaka with aubergines and potatoes
2. Stuffed eggplants with mince (Melitzanes papoutsakia)
3. Eggplant dip (Melitzanosalata)
4. Pan-fried battered eggplants (Melitzanes tiganites)
5. Vegan Moussaka with Lentils 
6. Vegetarian Moussaka with mushroom sauce

Imam Bayildi recipe

(97 votes, average: 4.78 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus cooling time)
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 pieces
• Category: Main
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Politiki
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Imam Bayildi (stuffed eggplants) is a simple, delicious vegan dish, packed with so much flavor! An amazing combination of fresh aubergines stuffed with a juicy tomato based filling, caramelised onions, garlic with aromatic herbs and spices!

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Ingredients

• 2 large eggplant
• salt
• 150ml olive oil
• 1 brown onion
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 4 large plum tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato puree 
• handful fresh parsley or mint, or a mixture of the two, plus extra to serve
• black pepper, to taste

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  Traditional Sofrito Beef Stew…

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees (300 fahrenheit).
2. To make this Imam bayildi recipe start by preparing the eggplants. Half the eggplant and score the flesh on a cross hatch, trying not the break the skin with the tip of your knife. Rub a generous amount of salt into the flesh, and set aside. 
3. Measure out the olive oil in a measuring cup or jug, and keep it by the stove. Add a generous splash to a large, non-stick frying pan set over a high heat. Fry the eggplant, working in batches and adding a little more oil if necessary until their exposed flesh is golden. As you remove them from a pan, nestle them cut side up in a baking dish just large enough to fit them snugly.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, thinly sliced into half moons along with another splash of oil and another pinch of salt. Fry for 5-6 minutes or so until they’re soft and just starting to colour.
5. Finely slice the garlic cloves before adding them to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes until they’re soft and aromatic. 
6. Roughly dice the tomatoes and add them to the pan, cooking for a further 5 minutes until they start to break down into a rough sauce. Stir in the cumin, paprika, oregano, tomato puree and the fresh herbs, finely chopped. Season generously to taste with more salt and a little black pepper.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in 4 tbsp of water before spooning the mixture over the exposed cut sides of the eggplant. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the dish before covering with foil and baking for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the aubergines and soft and have collapsed. 
8. Leave to stand and serve either warm, or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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Keywords: imam bayildi

The post Imam Bayildi recipe appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Greek Honey Cake (Melopita)

Greek Honey Cake is also known as Melopita and is a traditional honey cake made on the Greek island of Sifnos, in the Cyclades. It is a little like a cheesecake because it uses ricotta cheese and is very simple to make.

• Classic honey cake: the traditional recipe only uses six main ingredients.
• Delicious for any occasion: the cake works well at any time of the year.

What you’ll need to make Greek Honey Cake the traditional way

While ricotta isn’t a Greek cheese and instead comes from Italy, it is a big part of making this cake the traditional way. The traditional recipe uses anthotyro, but it’s really hard to find outside Greece.

Tip: Aim for the best ricotta you can afford, otherwise the end result may contain too much water, and will be prone to splitting. If you can only get watery ricotta, strain it for a couple of hours before using to remove as much liquid as you can.

Greek Honey Cake Key Ingredients

For the mixture of melopita: You’ll need ricotta cheese and runny honey along with eggs, cornflour and vanilla extract or bean paste for the cake. Olive oil and lemon zest are the final ingredients.

For the topping: More runny honey and some ground cinnamon will be used to top the cake once it is cooled.

Key Preparation Tips

There are just two main steps to making this recipe:

1. Prepare the melopita cake
2. Finish and decorate the cake

Prepare the melopita cake

Start by preheating the oven to 160C or 320F. Grease a spring form tin with a little olive oil, I usually use an 18cm or 7 inch one. Add some baking parchment to the bottom and the sides.

In a large bowl, beat the ricotta with a wooden spoon or whisk until it is smooth then beat in the honey. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly then add the cornflour, vanilla and lemon zest.

Using a scraper to get the mixture into the baking tin and smooth it with the back of a spoon to get a level finish.

Tip: If you want to change a little of the flavor, you can substitute the lemon zest for orange zest.

Finish and decorate the cake

Bake the melopita in the oven until it is set, usually around 30 minutes. It will have some color around the sides.

Leave the cake to cool then transfer it to a plate from the tin. Add enough honey to cover the top and sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon.

My melopita isn’t rising did I do something wrong?

It is worth remembering that this is a flat and dense cake mixture so don’t panic if it doesn’t rise while in the oven.

The Greek name melopita features ‘pita’ which means flat so the cake is more like a cheesecake than a sponge cake. But it does tend to stick like a baked cheesecake, so don’t forget to line the sides of the pan.

Variations of Greek Honey cake

The traditional Melopita from the island of Sifnos is this simple and beloved version with no other additions. But one can also find some variations using phyllo dough as a base.

Also it is very common to use a base made from crushed biscuits, melted butter and a pinch of cinnamon, like this no bake cheesecake. So feel free to experiment!

Making ahead of time and storing

You can make this Greek honey cake cake ahead of time by carrying out the first steps and then stopping before cooking. Then simply cook when you are ready to serve and add the topping.

Keep any unused portions in the fridge due to the ricotta cheese and use them within 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions

The cake can be served on its own or you can top it with some vanilla ice cream. Whipped cream would also work if you want to offset the sweetness of the honey a little. And of course, some crushed walnuts on top will give that extra crunchiness you may look for!

More recipes to try 

If you love Greek honey, the below recipes are made for you! Enjoy!

• Baklava Cheesecake 
• Greek Yogurt with Honey and Walnuts
• Traditional Baklava with honey and walnuts
• Loukoumades (Greek Honey puffs)
• Greek Christmas Pastry with honey (diples)
• Tiganites (Greek Style pancakes with Honey and walnuts)
• Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Honey cookies)

Greek Honey cake (Melopita Sifnou)

(82 votes, average: 4.87 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 60 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

If you are looking for a sweet treat with only 15′ prep time, then this Greek Honey Cake (Melopita Sifnos) is a simple and delicious cake to make that will satisfy your craving!

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Ingredients

• olive oil
• 660g ricotta (1 lb, 7 1/4 oz), at room temperature 
• 100ml runny honey (5 1/2 tbsp), plus extra for drizzling
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• zest 1/2 lemon
• ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C (320F). Grease a round loose bottomed 18cm (7 inch) cake tin with a little olive oil before lining both the bottom and the sides with baking parchment. 
2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon or a whisk to beat the ricotta until smooth. Beat in the honey, followed by the eggs, one by one, the cornflour, the vanilla, and the lemon zest.
3. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with the back of your spoon. 
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the middle is set not jiggly, and it has started to colour around the sides.
5. Leave to cool in the tin before transferring to a plate and drizzling with just enough honey to cover the top, and sprinkling with a generous amount of cinnamon. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek honey cake, melopita, ricotta cake, honey cake

The post Greek Honey cake (Melopita Sifnos) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Greek New Years bread (Vasilopita Tsoureki)?

If you’re looking for a delicious and unique way to ring in the New Year, you may want to try making Vasilopita Tsoureki, a traditional Greek sweet bread.

There are two main variations of Vasilopita – the Vasilopita cake version, and the tsoureki dough version, which is this recipe here, kind of the same as an easter Tsoureki but rather shaped in a tin! Tsoureki is typically made with a brioche-like dough.

After baking the Vasilopita bread, a lucky coin is inserted through the base, and it’s said that whoever finds the coin in their slice will have good luck in the new year. Greek New Years bread is usually decorated with glaze or icing sugar and it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the cake.

Classic Greek New Year recipe: The dish is served in Greek homes on New Year.
Lots of ways to personalise it: You can change the nut flavours and decoration to suit your taste.

Vasilopita Tsoureki Key Ingredients

For the Greek New Years bread: You need the basic instant yeast, water, sugar, milk and butter for the bread. Add to that some mastic teardrops and ground mahleb. I use a strong bread flour with salt and eggs and add orange zest and a vanilla pod for extra flavor.

For the glaze: This is made with water, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and flaked almonds.

Vasilopita bread Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps to making your own New Year vasilopita bread :

1. Combine the bread ingredients
2. Work the dough
3. Cook the bread
4. Add the New Year coin and decorate

Combine the bread ingredients

Add the sugar, milk and butter to a small saucepan set over medium low heat. Stir it often until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Then take it off the heat and let it cool down some.

Meanwhile, combine the yeast and tepid water in a large mixing bowl. Whisk it until frothy.

Start by pounding the mastic with a mortar and pestle. Add the mahleb to prevent it from sticking and continue to grind until it’s finely crushed.

In a mixing dish of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest, and spice mixture.

Place the flour, salt, sugar, butter and milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently but consistently for about 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and vanilla seeds (if using).

Thoroughly mix the two mixtures together using a fork until it forms a rough dough.

Work the dough

To knead the dough, attach the dough hook and mix for 15 minutes until the texture is smooth, tight and stretchy. Then, use a scraper or spatula to form it into a ball shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 2 hours so it can double in size.

Meanwhile, line an 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) with a round of baking parchment and butter it well before placing it in the oven to preheat.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and expel any air bubbles if necessary. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal-sized pieces.

Roll the dough into ropes that are half stretched and half rolled. They should be about 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) in thickness. Pinch the top of the rope to bring all the strands together, then braid them.

Be sure to not leave any air pockets between the strand, but also don’t stretch the dough too much as you braid it. Once you’ve finished braiding, shape it into a coil and tuck the ends underneath so it’s tidy looking.

After braiding, transfer the dough to a prepared tin and let it rise for another two hours.

Cook the Vasilopita bread and finish with the glaze

Preheat oven to 150C (300F) 30 minutes before the end of the proofing time. Bake the vasilopita tsoureki until it is a little risen, golden in colour, and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let cool completely before removing from the baking tin.

While the vasilopita bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan over a medium stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

For the decoration, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to create the glaze. If you desire, push a coin into the base of the bread before spooning it over the cake so it falls in between slices. Add almonds for garnish.

Finally, it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the New Year bread. Get some nice New Year decorations and place them on the Vasilopita bread.

What are mastic teardrops and ground mahleb?

Mastic (masticha) teardrops and ground mahlab or mahleb (mahlepi) are two traditional ingredients used in Mediterranean cooking. Mastic is a resin that is harvested from the bark of the mastic tree, and it has a slightly piney flavor. Ground mahleb is made from the kernels of St. Lucie cherries, and it has a sweet, nutty taste.

These two ingredients are often used together in recipes for sweets and baked goods, as they complement each other perfectly. In addition to their flavor, mastic teardrops and ground mahleb also have unique textures that make them interesting additions to any dish.

Making ahead of time and storing

Everyone knows that the best Vasilopita Tsoureki is always made fresh. But luckily, there are a few easy ways to keep it fresh for longer. For example, you can store it in an airtight container for a few days.

Or if you want it to keep for longer, portion out your vasilopita in slices and freeze them. Defrost it when you’re ready to eat. Simply defrost the bread overnight, and then enjoy it fresh anytime you want!

And of course, don’t forget to make your melomakarona, kourabiedes, diples and kariokes(walnut filled chocolate crescents) to complete your Christmas and New Year’s platter!

Finally, to discover more Greek Christmas traditions and customs to celebrate with your loved ones have a look at my article on Greek Christmas traditions and customs.

Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread)

(101 votes, average: 4.91 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 4 hours 30 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 pieces
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Vasilopita bread is a sweet treat that is served on New Year, but it’s quite challenging to make. No worries! I’ve got you covered! Get your little helpers and follow my step by step recipe to create the perfect aromatic Vasilopita tsoureki to welcome the New Year!

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Ingredients

For the Vasilopita Tsoureki bread

• 110g sugar (3 3/4 oz)
• 75ml milk (5 tbsp)
• 60g butter (2 oz), plus extra for the pan
• 12g instant yeast (1/2 oz)
• 65ml tepid water (1/4 cup)
• 1–2 mastic teardrops
• 1 1/2 tsp ground mahleb
• 435g strong bread flour (15 1/4 oz), plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• zest of 1/2 large orange
• 2 large eggs
• seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod (optional)

For the glaze

• 20g flaked almonds (3/4 oz) 
• 50g powdered sugar (1 3/4 oz), sieved to remove any lumps
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp water

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Instructions

Prepare the dough for Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. To prepare this Vasilopita tsoureki bread recipe start by making the dough first.

2. Combine the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan and set over a medium low heat. Allow to heat through, whisking often until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the yeast and the tepid water and set aside until frothy.

4. Using a mortar and pestle, start to crush the mastic. To stop it sticking and to help break it down, add the mahleb and continue to grind to a powder.

5. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest and the spice mix, and set aside.

6. Lightly whisk the eggs in the bottom of a large mixing jug. Still whisking, gradually add the sugar, butter and milk mixture, which so not to cook the eggs should now be cool enough for you to comfortably hold your finger in. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and the vanilla seeds, if using.

7. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture using a fork, bringing the whole thing together into a rough dough.

8. With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 15 minutes until the dough is smooth, tight and stretchy. Using a dough scraper or a spatula scrape the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving it until it has at least doubled in size – this should take about 2 hours.

Form the Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back any air bubbles. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal sized pieces.

2. Taking each piece of dough between your palms, half stretch, half roll the dough into roughly 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) ropes. Pinch these together at the top and shape into a braid; not loose enough that there are any air pockets between the strands, but not too tight that the dough is stretched any further. Shape the plaited rope into a coil, tucking the ends underneath the coil to tidy it up.

3. Generously butter a 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) before lining it with a round of baking parchment.

4. Transfer the shaped dough to the prepared tin and cover again to rise again for another 2 hours.

Bake the Greek New years bread

1. Towards the end of the proofing time, pre-heat the oven to 150C (300F). Bake the dough for 30 minutes until risen a little, golden, and if you carefully slide the bread from the tin and tap it on the bottom, it sounds hollow. Leave to cool completely.

Decorate the Vasilopita bread

1. While the bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan set over a medium heat, and set aside.

2. To decorate, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to make the glaze. Push a coin, wrapped in aluminum foil into the base of the bread so it can be found in one of the slices, then spoon the glaze over the cake, pushing it around with the back of your spoon to make sure it falls into all the coils. Scatter with the toasted almonds, and serve.

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Keywords: vasilopita tsoureki, greek new years bread, vasilopita bread recipe

The post Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie)?

Spanakopita is a traditional Greek dish that combines spinach and feta cheese in a pastry filling. It is often made with phyllo pastry (spanakopita with phyllo) but I went for puff pastry here because it is easier to work with! If you have the time, you can also make it with homemade phyllo (spanakopita with homemade phyllo).

Sometimes you see the spanakopita made into small pies (spanakopitakia) as well as in larger casserole dishes like this one. In Northern Greece, it is known as spanakotiropita (spinach feta pie) while the term spanakopita tends to be used in Southern Greece but both are referring to a tasty spinach and cheese pie.

• Classic Greek dish: Ideal for larger family gatherings.
• Delicious combination: Spinach and feta cheese are at the heart of the dish.

Tip: During religious fasts, a version of the recipe is often made without using cheese and eggs.

What you’ll need to make Spanakopita with Puff Pastry

You will want good quality feta cheese for this recipe to bring out the best of the flavors. Don’t be tempted to go for something lesser quality or even try a different cheese as it won’t produce the same results as feta does.

Key Ingredients for Spanakopita with Puff Pastry 

Filling: For the spanakopita pie filling, you need leeks, garlic cloves, fresh spinach and then some spring onions, mint, lemon zest and nutmeg. Feta cheese is added for the classic Greek flavor.

Pastry: You’ll need eggs, puff pastry and some flour for rolling to prepare the pastry for the dish.

Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps involved with making spanakopita with puff pastry:

1. Prepare the filling
2. Prepare the puff pastry
3. Finish the spinach pie

Prepare the filling

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Trim the leeks into 1cm or ⅓ inch pieces then fry in the pan with some salt until soft and starting to color, usually around 10 minutes.

Peel and crush the garlic clove then add to the pan, cooking for another minute until soft.

Chop the spinach roughly and add to the pan, a handful at a time. Stir it frequently and let it wilt then add more. Cook the spinach until almost all of the liquid has evaporated from it, around 15-20 minutes then remove from the heat.

Prepare the spring onions and add them to the mixture with roughly chopped fresh mint, lemon zest and nutmeg. Crumble in the feta cheese, season with salt and black pepper then leave to cool.

Prepare the puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (390 F). Lightly flour a surface or board and divide the pastry block into two.

Generously grease a 20 x 20cm baking tray that can hold at least 4 inches of filling with butter then roll out one piece of pastry making sure it can line the dish. Press into the corners with your fingertips for complete coverage.

Finish the Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie)

Beat an egg and stir into the spinach mixture before spreading it across the pastry, pushing into corners and using a spoon to have a smooth surface.

Beat the other egg and brush it across any exposed pastry above the filling.

Roll out the second sheet and add it to the top, using fingers to pinch the two sheets together. Trim off any excess and brush with the rest of the egg.

Cook for 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and leave for another 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Warm or room temperature is perfect for this recipe.

Can you Use Frozen Spinach?

I prefer to use fresh spinach when making this Spanakopita with puff pastry recipe but you can use frozen spinach too.

Spinach is a great leafy green to keep in your freezer for when you need it. It can work for this recipe too because you don’t need to cook it in advance, just as part of creating the filling.

Just make sure to fully thaw the spinach and squeeze out all the liquid before adding it to the rest of the filling ingredients. This will help to prevent the spanakopita from becoming too waterlogged.

Making ahead of time and storing

You can make the Spanakopita with puff pastry ahead of time and store it until you want to serve it. Follow the instructions for assembling but don’t bake it. Cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it then follow the instructions.

It will also store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days after cooking. You can heat it back up in the oven.

To freeze it, take the cooked recipe and cut it into portions then freeze it like this. Once cooled pop into an airtight container. Defrost overnight then heat up in the oven.

Serving suggestions

This delicious Spanakopita with puff pastry works well on its own as a standalone dish, but is also great if you have a few people to feed alongside dishes such as Greek lemon chicken or a lamb recipe. You can serve it with Greek salad and some dips such as Tzatziki or garlic hummus.

More delicious Greek Pies!

If you love a traditional Greek pie, the below recipes are made for you! 

1. Greek Meat Pie (Kreatopita)
2. Greek Chicken Pie Recipe (Kotopita)
3. Traditional Greek Leek Pie Recipe (Prasopita)
4. Mini Spanakopita Triangles Recipe (Spanakopitakia / Greek Spinach Triangles)
5. Greek Feta Cheese Pies Recipe (Tiropitakia)
6. Spiral-Shaped Greek Cheese Pie Recipe (Kichi Kozanis)
7. Traditional Zucchini Pie Recipe With Feta Cheese (Greek Kolokithopita)
8. Traditional Tiropita Recipe (Greek Cheese Pie With Feta)
9. Delicious Little Cheese Pies! (Pitarakia Milou)

Easy Greek Spanakopita with puff Pastry

(89 votes, average: 4.79 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 portions
• Category: Side dish
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Making spanakopita sounds too complicated? Well not anymore with my super easy spanakopita with puff pastry recipe!

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks 
• salt
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 400g-500g fresh spinach (roughly 1 lb)
• 4 large spring onions
• large handful fresh mint
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• generous pinch ground nutmeg
• 150g feta (5 1/4 oz)
• black pepper to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1 x 500g block puff pastry (1 lb 1 1/2 oz)
• flour, for rolling out the pastry 
• softened butter, for greasing the baking dish

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Instructions

1. To prepare this super easy spanakopita with puff pastry recipe, start by making the filling first.
2. Heat the oil in a very large frying pan or skillet set over a medium heat. Trim and slice the leeks into 1 cm (1/3 inch) pieces and fry with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes until they’re soft and just starting to colour.
3. Peel and crush the garlic into to the pan, cooking for a further minute until it has turned soft and aromatic. 
4. Roughly chop the spinach and gradually add handfuls to the pan, stirring often until it has wilted enough to allow you to fit more. Then, continue to cook the spinach until almost all of its liquid has evaporated; this should take around 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your pan. Remove it from the heat.
5. Top, tail and finely slice the spring onions before stirring them into the spinach mixture along with the fresh mint, roughly chopped, the lemon zest and the nutmeg. Crumble in the feta, before seasoning to taste with more salt and a little black pepper. Leave the spanakopita filling to cool.
6. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C (390 fahrenheit).
7. On a lightly floured surface, divide the pastry block into two. Generously butter a 20x20cm (roughly 8×8 inch) baking dish and roll out one piece of pastry to be big enough to line the dish allowing the filling to take up at least 4cm (1 1/4 inches) of depth, and the other to form a lid. Line the dish, pressing the pastry into the corners carefully with your fingertips.
8. Lightly beat the first egg, and stir it into the spinach mixture before spooning the cooled filling into the prepared pastry case, pushing it into the corners and smoothing the surface with the back of the spoon. 
9. Beat the other egg, and brush the egg wash across the exposed lip of the pastry, just above the filling. Top with the lid, and again use your fingertips to press the edges together. If necessary, trim off any excess that overhangs the dish with a sharp knife before folding the pastry over and crimping it with your fingertips to seal the pie. Brush with the remaining egg wash and cut two small slits in the middle of the pie to allow steam to escape.
10. Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven, and rest for a further 30 minutes at least before slicing and serving either warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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Keywords: spanakopita with puff pastry, spinach pie with puff pastry, spinach pie, easy spinach pie, easy spanakopita

The post Easy Greek Spanakopita with puff Pastry appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Chocolate Baklava?

Chocolate baklava is a delicious twist on the traditional baklava dessert. It is made with layers of flaky phyllo dough, filled with a rich chocolate filling and topped with a chocolate glaze.

While the basic ingredients are the same as traditional baklava, the addition of chocolate makes it a truly unique treat. The chocolate filling adds a richness and depth of flavor that is simply divine, and the chocolate syrup gives the dessert a beautiful shine.

Whether you are looking for something new to try or you are simply a chocoholic, chocolate baklava is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

• One for chocolate lovers: perfectly adapted from the traditional recipe
• Easy to make: the recipe uses filo pastry sheets so it is simple to create
• Ingredients from the cupboard: the basics for the recipe are normal store cupboard ingredients

Chocolate Baklava Key Ingredients

1. For the Chocolate Baklava: You’ll need the usual mixed nuts, ground cinnamon, cloves and unsalted butter with the sheets of filo pastry. The best chocolate I have found is 70% dark chocolate.
2. For the syrup: Sugar and water with orange zest and a cinnamon stick form the basics with lemon juice, runny honey and optional hazelnut liquor to finish it.

Key Preparation Tips

Create the Chocolate Baklava

First, pre-heat your oven to 150 C or 300 F. Grab the food processor and process the nuts until they are fine. Chop the chocolate by hand into very small pieces then stir in a pinch of salt and the spices. Add this to the nut mixture.

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter. Use the butter to brush a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking sheet.
Layer one-third of the filo sheets into the bottom of the baking tray, brushing the pastry sheet with butter between each layer.

Spread one-half of the chocolate Baklava mixture on the top, add another one-third of the filo sheets and butter then add the rest of the filling and sheets. Brush the top with butter.

Use a very sharp knife to cut the Baklava into four equal pieces. Cut a bisecting line from the top corner of the pan to the bottom opposite corner. From this line, cut diagonal lines from the top of the cuts into the dividing lines, down to their opposite bottom corner. This should create an elongated diamond pattern.

Bake the chocolate Baklava in the oven for 1.5 hours until the pastry is golden and crispy.

Make the syrup

Combine the water, sugar, orange zest and cinnamon in a pan over high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and leave to infuse until the mixture has reached room temperature. Stir in the lemon, honey and hazelnut liquor if you are using it.

Finish the dessert

Once the syrup is cold and the Baklava is hot, gradually pour the syrup over it. Allow it to soak into the cuts and don’t worry if it looks a bit flooded, it will settle as the dessert cools. Serve when it is at room temperature.

What nuts can you use in chocolate baklava?

When it comes to chocolate baklava, there are no hard and fast rules about what kind of nuts you should use. Any mixture of nuts including walnuts, pistachios, almonds or hazelnuts will work well.

Feel free to choose a variety of nuts that have different textures and flavors. This will give your baklava an added depth of flavor and make it more interesting to eat.

If you’re not sure which nuts to choose, ask your local grocery store or bakery for their recommendation. They should be able to help you pick out the perfect mix for your next batch of chocolate baklava.

How to stop filo pastry drying out when using it

One of the challenges of working with phyllo dough is that it dries out quickly, making it brittle and difficult to work with. If you’re not careful, you can easily end up with a dry, crumbly mess. There are, however, a few things you can do to prevent this from happening.

Firstly, make sure to keep the dough covered at all times while you’re working with it. A damp towel or piece of cling film will help to keep the dough moist.

Secondly, work quickly and efficiently to avoid allowing the dough to dry out. And finally, if you do notice the dough starting to dry out, you can lay a wet paper towel on top of it to help rehydrate it.

Making ahead of time and storing

None of the ingredients are particularly perishable, so you can store the Baklava in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 5 days. Just be aware that if the weather is very warm, the butter in the pastry might start to turn rancid after a couple of days, so it’s best to eat it within 2 days if it’s hot outside.

The pastry will also start to soften after a day or so, as it absorbs the moisture from the syrup, but this just makes it all the more delicious.

Can you freeze Chocolate Baklava?

To freeze, simply wrap the tin tightly in clingfilm and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

Always allow frozen or chilled baklava to come up to room temperature before enjoying it, as the flavors and texture are better when it’s not ice-cold.

Serving suggestions

You can enjoy this extra syrupy Chocolate baklava on its own and it is perfect!  But if you want to try something different, some vanilla ice cream works nicely. You could even try some double (heavy) cream as this will mix with the syrup, although the pastry sometimes goes a little soft.

Similar recipes to try

If you love a traditional syrupy greek desert, the below recipes are made for you! Enjoy!

• Baklava Cheesecake
• Traditional Greek Baklava Recipe with Walnuts and Honey
• Greek baklava rolls recipe (Saragli)
• Chocolate Souffle in Baklava Pouches recipe
• Galaktoboureko with Kataifi (Greek Custard and shredded phyllo pie)
• Homemade Kataifi recipe
• Greek Ekmek Kataifi recipe (Custard and whipped cream pastry with syrup)
• Greek Yogurt Cake Soaked in Syrup Recipe (Yiaourtopita)
• Karidopita/Karithopita recipe (Greek Walnut Cake with Syrup)
• Greek Ravani / Revani recipe (Coconut cake with syrup)
• Traditional Greek Galaktoboureko recipe (Greek Custard Pie with Syrup)
• Loukoumades recipe (Greek Donuts with Honey and Walnuts)
• Orange cake with syrup – Portokalopita
• Samali – Semolina cake with mastic syrup 

Easy Chocolate Baklava recipe

(94 votes, average: 4.41 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 35 min
• Cook Time: 1 hour 35 min (plus cooling time)
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 24 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Are you a big fan of Baklava but can’t have a dessert without chocolate? Then you’ll love this mouthwatering Chocolate baklava recipe!

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Ingredients

For the Chocolate Baklava

• 250g mixed nuts (8 1/2 oz)
• 100g 70% dark chocolate (3 1/2 oz)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• salt
• 130g unsalted butter (4 1/2 oz)
• 200g filo pastry sheets (5 oz)

For the Syrup

• 250g sugar (8 3/4 oz)
• 150ml water (1/2 cup)
• zest 1 small orange
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1 tbsp hazelnut liquor (optional)

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Instructions

1. To prepare this delicious chocolate baklava start by preparing the filling. Blitz the nuts in a food processor until fine. Chop the dark chocolate into very small pieces by hand, and stir in the spices and a generous pinch of salt. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over a medium heat, melt the butter.
3. Brush a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking dish with butter. Gradually layer 1/3 of the filo sheets in the bottom of the dish, generously sprinkling melted butter between each layer.
4. Spread 1/2 of the baklava mixture across the pastry, then continue layering another 1/3 of the filo sheets sprinkled with butter. Repeat until you have used all the filling and the filo, brushing the top layer with the remaining butter so it turns crisp and golden in the oven.
5. Using a very sharp knife, cut the chocolate baklava into 4 equal, parallel pieces. Then, cut a bisecting line from the top corner of the pan to the opposite corner at the bottom. Using this line as a guide, cut more parallel, diagonal lines from the top of the cuts in the original dividing lines down to their opposite number at the bottom. You should be left with an elongated diamond pattern.
6. Pre-heat the oven to 150C (300F). Bake the baklava for 1 1/2 hours until the pastry is crisp and golden.
7. Meanwhile, to make the syrup, combine the sugar, water, orange zest and the cinnamon stick and bring to the boil over a high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat to cool and for the cinnamon stick to infuse; once it has reached room temperature, stir in the lemon juice, honey and hazelnut liquor, if using.
8. Gradually pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava, making sure to pay attention to the cuts and to allow it to properly soak in. Don’t worry if things look a little flooded, everything will come right as the dish cools to room temperature, when it will be ready to serve.
9. Let the chocolate baklava cool down completely and serve after the syrup has soaked through. Enjoy!

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Keywords: chocolate baklava, baklava with chocolate recipe

The post Chocolate Baklava recipe appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So go ahead and discover how to make it to perfection with my delicious recipe, step by step photos and tips and tricks below! 

What is Kreatopita (Greek meat pie)?

Kreatopita is a traditional Greek meat pie that you’ll traditionally find made in the villages across Kefallonia. They may not look like the fanciest of pies, but they are packed with so much flavour! They are also easy to make and can be a great way to use up some cuts of meat that you have in your freezer. This pie is a:

• Two meat pie: A traditional pie that uses two different portions of meat in the filling.
• Rustic favorite: It may not look the most spectacular but there’s so much taste involved!

What you’ll need to make Greek Meat Pie the traditional way

You can use any combination of meats such as lamb, pork, veal or beef in the pie but it is always traditional to use at least two different types. I would avoid pairing veal and beef as these can taste quite similar so you’ll loose out a bit on the flavor!

When selecting your cuts of meat, I find that shoulder works best for both lamb and pork as it contains a bit more fat than the rest, which gives the pie a more intense flavor as well as they are pretty cheap to get!

Finally, traditionally, Carolina rice is used in the pie but this isn’t always widely available outside Greece. So instead go for white basmati rice in the dish as it works just as well! If you do spot Carolina rice, then by all means, give it a try instead.

Greek Meat Pie Key Ingredients

The traditional Greek Meat pie (kreatopita) needs just a handful of ingredients to make:

1. Meat: You’ll need 2 cuts of meat for this recipe with my favourite ones being diced lamb and diced pork.
2. For the pie filling: You’ll need some onion and garlic together with tomatoes, tomato paste and white wine. Finally the white basmati rice helps to give it extra bulk.
3. Meat seasoning: I love using some dried marjoram along with fresh mint and flat leaf parsley to season my filling. You could also use dried oregano if you don’t have marjoram but because it is stronger, use only 3/4 tsp.
4. Pie crust: I’ve opted to make my pie with puff pastry but you can also make it using your homemade phyllo. To finish off your pie you’ll need an egg to egg wash it and (traditionally) some kefalotyri cheese or, if you can’t find this, some halloumi cheese.

Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps to prepare this Greek meat pie:

1. Prepare the meat
2. Make the pie filling
3. Finally, assemble the pie

Prepare the meat

To make the pie filling, heat a large heavy-bottomed, lidded saucepan or casserole over a medium high heat with olive oil.

Brown the meat in batches, lowering the heat as needed to avoid burning bits on the bottom of the pan, and set it aside.

Tip: If your pan is not a non-stick type or not well seasoned you may get some bits of burnt meat on the bottom of the pan. If the brown patches are excessive, move the meat to another pan with a fresh splash of olive oil otherwise they may spoil the flavor of the pie filling as it will taste burnt!

Make the pie filling

Start by reducing the heat to medium low – you want the sauce to simmer, not boil! Fry the finely chopped onion with a little salt and the fat leftover from the meat until they have softened, caramelised and started to brown. This usually takes about 6-8 minutes. Then peel and crush the garlic and add to the onion, cooking for another minute.

Then proceed to stir in the tomato paste and took for a minute or two to release the tomato flavor. Add the roughly chopped tomatoes and cook again until they start to break down then mix in the dried marjoram (or oregano if you’re substituting).

Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, let it simmer for a bit until it reduces by half then add 200ml or 3/4 cup of water and bring to the boil. Finally reduce the heat to low, add the lid on and simmer for an hour or so until the meat is tender.

Once done cooking, add the roughly chopped fresh herbs (parsley and mint) to the mixture, add the uncooked rice, stir then leave it to cool to room temperature. The rice will cook with the residual heat from the meat sauce and will soak up all its delicious juices! Once you are happy the pie filling is cooled, add more salt and pepper if needed.

Tip: Before adding the rice, if your sauce looks too dry, add a splash of water, bring it to a boil, remove from the heat then add the rice.

Assemble the Greek meat pie

To assemble your kreatopita, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit and grease a large square baking dish (about 22 cm/9 inches square) evenly with some butter.

Split the puff pastry into two parts, one slightly larger than the other. The smaller one will make the pie lid while the bigger one is for the pie base.

Flour your surface, then roll out the larger pastry block into a square that comfortably lines the bottom of your dish and leaves a few centimetres or 1/2 an inch over the filling line. Use this to line the dish, pushing gently into the corners with your fingers.

Proceed to spoon in the cooled filling. Lightly beat an egg and use this to brush the exposed edges of the pastry. Sprinkle some of your grated cheese evenly across the pie filling.

To make the lid, roll out the smaller block and add it to the top of the pie, pressing down to seal the pastry where you added the egg.

Trim off any excess and brush the top of the pie with egg wash. Cut two small holes in the centre so steam can escape as it cooks.

Finally, cook in the oven for 1 hour or until the pastry is golden. Leave your kreatopita to cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Can you use filo pastry?

You can definitely use homemade filo pastry for your pie! Feel free to give it a go using this easy homemade phyllo recipe. However, if you are not the most confident in working with pastry, use ready made puff pastry. It tastes great and it is also a huge time-saver! 

Finally, don’t worry if the block of pasty you’ve bought is a little different in size than in the recipe below. Just follow the measurements as a rough indication of what is needed to cover the dish and adapt for your own bakeware.

Making ahead of time and storing

I find it easiest to make the pie filling the day before I want to make the pie. Pop it in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the pie. Just take your filling out of the fridge, prepare your pastry, assemble and bake as per the recipe below.

If you have leftovers, let them cool and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Just reheat in the oven before serving.

Finally if you want to freeze the entire pie, its best to do this before baking it. Assemble but don’t glaze with egg, cover with plastic wrap and some foil then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely overnight then cook in the oven as directed.

Serving suggestions

As the main course, Greek meat pies are perfect with something like a tabouli or Horiatiki Greek salad. You can also enjoy it as a light meal on its own!

More delicious Greek Pies!

If you love a traditional Greek pie, the below recipes are made for you! 

1. Greek Chicken Pie Recipe (Kotopita)
2. Traditional Greek Leek Pie Recipe (Prasopita)
3. Spanakopita Recipe With Homemade Phyllo (Authentic Greek Spinach Pie)
4. Mini Spanakopita Triangles Recipe (Spanakopitakia / Greek Spinach Triangles)
5. Greek Feta Cheese Pies Recipe (Tiropitakia)
6. Spiral-Shaped Greek Cheese Pie Recipe (Kichi Kozanis)
7. Traditional Zucchini Pie Recipe With Feta Cheese (Greek Kolokithopita)
8. Traditional Tiropita Recipe (Greek Cheese Pie With Feta)
9. Delicious Little Cheese Pies! (Pitarakia Milou)

Greek Meat Pie (Kreatopita)

(88 votes, average: 4.88 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus cooling and resting time)
• Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 6 portions
• Category: Sides
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

If you are looking for a classic Greek meat pie, then this recipe for Kreatopita will be just what you need! Combining two different types of meat, it is a traditional, rustic pie you would see in villages across parts of Greece

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Ingredients

For the Greek meat pie filling

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 325g diced lamb (11 1/2 oz)
• 325g diced pork (11 1/2 oz)
• salt
• 1 brown onion
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried marjoram 
• 200ml white wine (3/4 cups)
• 50g white basmati rice (1/4 cup)
• handful flat leaf parsley
• handful fresh mint
• butter, at room temperature 

To assemble

• 500g block puff pastry (1 lb 1 1/2 oz)
• 100g kefalotyri or halloumi cheese (3 1/2 oz)
• 1 egg

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Instructions

For the Greek meat pie filling

1. To make the filling for this traditional Kreatopita, heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large heavy bottomed, lidded saucepan or casserole dish set over a medium high heat. Salt the meat well and fry the meat in batches until well browned, adjusting the heat if necessary to make sure you don’t get burnt bits on the bottom of the pan. Set the meat aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium low. Finely chop the onion and gently fry it along with another pinch of salt in the fat leftover from the meat for 6-8 minutes until the onion has softened and started to brown. Peel and crush the garlic cloves and add them to the onion, cooking for a further minute until aromatic. 
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute or two until slightly caramelised. Roughly chop the tomatoes and stir them in too, cooking for another few minutes until they start to break down. Add the dried marjoram. 
4. Add the wine and allow to reduce by half. Add 200ml / 3/4 cups water, and turn up the heat to bring the filling up to a boil. Reduce to low, clap on the lid and leave to simmer for an hour, until the meat is tender.
5. Roughly chop the herbs and stir them into the pie filling, along with the uncooked rice. Leave to cool to room temperature.
6. Check the seasoning of the cooled pie filling, adding pepper and more salt if necessary. 

To assemble the Greek meat pie

1. To assemble the Kreatopita, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit and liberally butter your deepest square baking dish roughly 22 cm / 9 inches square.
2. Divide the puff pastry block into two, one half slightly smaller than the other to make the lid. 
3. On a well floured surface, roll the larger pastry block out into a large square, large enough to comfortably line the dish with a few centimetres / at least 1/2 inch to spare above the filling line. Use this to line the dish, using your fingers to push the pastry into the corners.
4. Spoon in the filling. Lightly beat the egg, and brush the exposed edge of the pastry along the top.
5. Grate the cheese and sprinkle it evenly across the top of the pie filling. 
6. Roll out the second block of pastry and top the pie with it, pressing down to seal the pastry along the egg wash line and trimming off any excess. Brush the top with egg wash and cut two small holes in the middle of the pie to allow steam to escape. 
7. Bake for 1 hour until the pastry is golden. Leave to stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

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Keywords: Greek meat pie, kreatopita recipe, Greek meat pie puff pastry

The post Greek Meat Pie (Kreatopita) appeared first on My Greek Dish.