And if you are wondering if it is worth making pita bread at home, the answer for me is very simple! Nothing compares to the smell of some fragrant, warm, golden brown, fresh, homemade pita bread! Trust me, after you make this easy traditional Greek pitta bread recipe, you will never buy the store version again!

So go ahead, read on to discover my tips and tricks to make this Greek flat bread to perfection, my video showing you how to make it, my delicious whole-wheat pita bread variation, my no knead bread machine shortcut, my tips on how to prepare in advance and store them and of course the recipe!

Homemade Pita bread recipe – A traditional Greek delight

Pita bread (from Greek: πίτα) is a Greek flatbread that is a staple of countless Greek dishes. It is a firm favorite to serve with any assortment of meze’s and dips and spreads, like melitzanosalata, fava, feta cheese dip, tzatziki, hummus, vegan tzatziki sauce and many others.

Together with Moussaka and the vegan moussaka with lentils, Greek Pita bread is one of the most well-known Greek dishes! Where from? Look no further than souvlaki, the most popular Greek street food!

Souvlaki is nothing else than a pita bread sandwich, stuffed with a meat of your choice, a deliciously creamy tzatziki sauce, fresh, juicy tomatoes and zingy onion slices.

You’ll most commonly find Greek Pita breads served as a chicken souvlaki, pork souvlaki, beef souvlaki or lamb souvlaki, or even filled with some delicious lamb kofta kebab.

Also of course with the gyros variations, like pork gyros and chicken gyros, which is meat cut off in chunks from a spit. Who can really resist?

Traditional Greek Pita Bread Key Preparation Steps and Tips

Greek pitta bread is a very simple dish to prepare. In a nutshell, Greek pita is a plain, non-enriched dough which is left to proof and then pan fried in a skillet until fluffy and golden brown.

How to prepare your pita bread dough

A traditional Greek pita flat bread dough only needs 4 ingredients to make and the whole process is really simple. So lets get started!

Start by preparing your yeast: Dissolve your yeast in a bowl with the water and sugar and wait for it to froth. There are two reasons for this.

Firstly, and most importantly, it’s a great test to make sure the yeast is fresh and active and will get your pitta flat bread all nice and fluffy. Secondly, its ready to go and full of action when it’s mixed with the flour!

Knead your pita bread dough: Pour in your yeast mixture, flour and salt in a bowl and use your hands or a stand mixer to knead until its soft, elastic and a bit sticky.

If you find your dough being too sticky, before adding any extra flour, let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes and try handling it again. This will let the gluten in your pitta bread dough relax and make it easier to handle.

If your dough is still too sticky to handle, then add a couple of tablespoons of flour and knead for a bit longer.

Let it rest in a warm place: Coat your dough with some oil to prevent it from drying out and then cover your bowl with a kitchen towel and some cling film and let it rest in a warm place. Your dough is ready when it has doubled in size. 

If your home is a bit on the cold side, you can accelerate the proofing by putting your dough in your oven pre-heated to 40C/100F or with the oven light on only. This will kick start your yeast and make it proof faster.

Split into portions and get ready to shape: After your dough is done rising, it’s time to shape your Pita breads. Gently deflate your dough, split into evenly sized portions, and shape them into some nicely tight balls.

I use my kitchen scale to make sure I get 6 evenly sized balls out of my dough! Finally, let it rest for 15 minutes before shaping. This will relax the gluten and make your pita breads easier to spread and hold their shape.

How to shape your Greek pita bread

There are two tips that make all the difference when shaping your pita breads – rolling them out in evenly sized round disks and poking them with your fingers or a fork like a focaccia!

Shaping your pitta bread: Firstly, shape your pita bread in an even 20cm / 8-inch-wide disk. You can use your hands or a rolling pin to shape your pitas.

Using a rolling pin will result in a slightly crunchier pitta as the air is partially knocked out of the dough. On the other hand, using your hands to stretch it like a pizza base will result in more air in the dough and a fluffier pita bread

If the dough springs back, let it rest for a few minutes and try again – its gluten just needs some time to rest.

Poking the all-important holes: What visually distinguishes a Greek pita bread from a traditional flatbread are its dimples! They help create pockets of fluffiness and areas where the pita is crunchier as well as create space for your dips to sit in when served! So, go ahead and poke some dimples by pressing down firmly with your fingers or with the back of a fork!

How to cook your Greek pitta bread

For the fluffier but slower way you’ll be using some steam! If you want an even fluffier pita bread, cut some aluminium foil in a round disk the size of your skillet, spread a generous sprinkle of olive oil on it, so the pita doesn’t stick to it and place your pita on it. 

In your hot pan, add a splash of water and immediately place the aluminum foil with your pita on top of it and cover with your lid. The steam will allow your pita bread to slowly rise and steam cook.

Whole wheat pita bread

If you want a healthier variation, you can make your Greek pita bread with whole wheat flour. Use 50% whole wheat flour and 50% bread flour and follow the same recipe for the rest.

The whole wheat flour will add a nuttier flavour to your pitta while at the same time making it healthier to eat!

No knead Pitta bread using a bread machine

Ever since I bought my bread machine it has been my go-to device for making pitta bread. Not only does it remove the hassle of kneading, but it also lets my pitta dough proof at the right temperature without me needing to monitor it.

To make your no knead pita bread in a bread machine, simply add all the pita bread ingredients in the pan in this order: salt, sugar, flour, yeast, water.

The salt needs to be as far away from the yeast as possible, so it doesn’t stop it from activating. So, add your salt and sugar first and then your flour which acts as a buffer between the two.

After you’ve added your ingredients, set your bread machine to the basic dough cycle, and let it do its thing. Once it’s done, let the pitta dough proof in your bread machine for about 20-30 minutes or until doubled in size. Then proceed to shape and bake as per the recipe!

Making Greek Pita breads ahead of time

No one knows when a bunch of pitas may come in handy! Luckily, you can make your pita breads and store them in the freezer and serve them at a moment’s notice!

Cook the pita breads and let them cool down completely. Place them in ziplock bags squeezing the air out. When you want to serve, sprinkle with some olive oil, salt and dried oregano and heat them up in the oven for about 10-15 minutes straight from frozen. There is no need to thaw them! They will keep in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

If you have pita breads that you haven’t consumed right away, you can also store them in an airtight bag the fridge. They will keep for around 3 days. To serve, just lightly brush with olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and dried oregano and heat them in the oven for a few minutes.

What to eat pita bread with?

The easiest homemade Pita Bread recipe!

(1,430 votes, average: 4.74 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 pita breads
• Category: Breads
• Method: Fried
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegan

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The very best homemade Greek pita bread recipe! And the best part, made with only 4 ingredients. Find out how to bake them to perfection with this super easy recipe.

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Ingredients

• 500–530g (17-18.5 oz.) strong white bread flour or 50% white and 50% whole-wheat flour
• 360g (12.7 oz.) lukewarm (40C/ 104F)
• 3 tsp dry instant yeast
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp sugar 

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Instructions

1. To prepare this pitta bread recipe add in a mixer’s bowl the yeast, sugar and water and blend to dissolve the yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until yeast froths.
2. Add the flour and salt and mix using the dough hook for 6-8 minutes.  Alternatively you could mix the ingredients by hand. 
3. Depending on the flour used, the dough may need a little bit less or more flour than this pita bread recipe calls for. After mixing for a while the dough for your pita bread should become an elastic ball and a bit sticky.
4. When ready, coat the dough with olive oil, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let it sit in a warm place, for at least 20 minutes or until it doubles its size. This is an important step for this pita bread recipe. The first proof makes the pita bread fluffy and soft. If it is winter, turn the oven on for a minute or two, until it’s a little warm, switch it off and then let the dough rise in it.
5. Take the dough out of the bowl and gently deflate with your hands. Use just a tiny bit of flour to help you if it is too sticky. Split into 6 evenly sized balls around145g/ 5 oz. each.
6. Let the pita bread balls rest for 15 minutes before shaping. This is the second proof and will allow your dough to relax and become easier to shape.
7. To form the pita bread, you can either use a rolling pin, or stretch it with your hands, about 20cm in diameter. A rolling pin will make a crunchier pita, while hand stretching a softer, fluffier one. If the dough springs back, set it aside for a few minutes to rest and then continue rolling again.
8. For a more traditional look on your pita bread, press the dough firmly with your fingertips forming dimples or use a fork to make some holes on top.
9. For a faster baked pita, heat a non-sticking frying pan to medium heat and add just a little bit of olive oil and wipe off any excess. Bake each pita bread for about 3 minutes on each side, until slightly coloured and still soft. If your pan has a lid, place the lid on while baking them to keep the moisture in.
10. For a fluffier pita use the steam method. Cut a piece of aluminium foil to the size of your pan. Generously sprinkle and spread some olive oil on it. Shape and place your pita on the foil. Pour a large glug of water in your plan over medium low heat – it should start steaming immediately! Place your pita immediately in it and cover with the lid. Let it steam for 12-15 minutes. Take it out, flip it over and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the foil.
11. To give it more colour, when you flip your pita bread, push it lightly with a wooden spoon on the pan.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 pita
• Calories: 308kcal
• Sugar: 0.2g
• Sodium: 4.7mg
• Fat: 0.9g
• Saturated Fat: 0.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 64.1g
• Fiber: 2.6g
• Protein: 9.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Pita Bread recipe, Easy Homemade Pitta Bread

The post The easiest homemade Pita Bread recipe! appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Kalitsounia (or Lichnarakia) are traditionally made with the fresh soft variety of myzithra cheese (not the salty  type), but if you can’t find it, try them with some Italian mascarpone or ricotta.  Serve as a delicious dessert with a drizzle of warm honey and a sprinkle of powder cinnamon. Enjoy!

Cretan Sweet Cheese Pastries Recipe (Kalitsounia)

(487 votes, average: 4.89 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 10 portions
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Extremely soft and highly addictive! These delicious little cheese pastries (kalitsounia) are a holiday tradition from the island of Crete. Kalitsounia (or Lichnarakia) are traditionally made with the fresh soft variety of myzithra cheese (not the salty  type), but if you can’t find it, try them with some Italian mascarpone or ricotta.

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Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup strained yogurt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1kg flour (35 ounces)
• 4 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• juice of 1/2 orange
• zest of 1 lemon (optional)

For the filling

• 1kg of fresh soft myzithra cheese or mascarpone or ricotta (35 ounces)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 eggs and 1 egg white
• 1 tsp powdered cinammon

For the topping

• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp powdered cinnamon

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Instructions

1. To prepare the dough for the cheese pastries (kalitsounia), add into a large bowl the olive oil, sugar, yogurt and eggs; blend well, using your hands, until the ingredients combine. Pour in the orange juice, the lemon zest and vanilla extract and blend again. Sieve the flour with the baking powder and add gradually to the mixture. Knead the dough with your hands, until it softens. Depending on the flour, you may need to use a little bit less or more flour than the recipe calls for. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
2. Leave the dough to rest for about 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, prepare the filling for the kalitsounia. Mash the cheese into a large bowl, add the sugar, the eggs and the cinnamon; blend well, until the ingredients combine.
4. Place the dough on a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 0.3 cm. Using a 10cm cutter, cut out some circles. (If you find it difficult to roll out the whole dough, cut it in half and roll out each half separately.)
5. Add a spoonful of the cheese mixture in the center of each dough circle and spread. Raise the rim of the dough up around the cheese and using your fingers, pinch the edges to pull the dough in around the cheese, leaving the center open, as shown in the picture.
6. Preheat the oven to 180-200C. Place the cheese pastries (kalitsounia) on a large baking tray, lined with parchment paper and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Into a bowl, whisk 1-2 eggs and 1 tbsp of water and brush the pastries. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden.
7. Serve the kalitsounia as a delicious dessert with a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!

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Keywords: Greek kalitsounia, Cretan kalitsounia recipe, Cretan cheese pies, lichnarakia, Greek sweet cheese pastry

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In Greece ‘Tirokroketes’ (fried cheese balls) is a very popular meze one can find in almost every tavern and is with no doubt my absolute favourite cheese appetiser (along with cheese saganaki and of course Feta Saganaki!). So I was more than excited to finally come up with a fried cheese ball recipe that tastes even better than the ones I ate at my favourite Greek taverns!

So go ahead, try out this super easy fried cheese ball recipe and indulge yourself to that little sin..

Fried cheese ball recipe – How to make the perfect, melty cheese balls!

Although this Greek fried cheese ball recipe is really simple to prepare, in order to achieve that beautiful crispy golden brown crust with the amazingly melty cheese filling, you have to pay attention to the details. First of all it’s best to make the mixture for the cheese balls in advance and let it stand in the fridge for 45 minutes, until firm enough to be able to form the mixture into balls.

For extra melty texture and flavour, this fried cheese ball recipe calls for three different kinds of cheese: tangy flavoured Greek feta cheese, soft and sweet Gouda and salty mature cheddar cheese. Feel free to improvise and add any kind of herbs you like; fresh dill or mint, will surely give a Mediterranean twist on your plate.

When it comes to coating less is more; so this fried cheese ball uses plain good old-fashioned flour. Dredge the cheese balls in flour, shaking off any excess; this will form a light crust on your cheese balls.

Fried cheese ball recipe – How to fry your cheese balls to perfection

And now for the most important part: the frying itself! Use some clean oil for frying and heat it on medium high heat, just before it starts smoking. Check if your oil is ready by sprinkling just a small pinch of flour in the oil; if it starts bubbling the oil is ready. Hot oil can be really dangerous, so use a slotted spoon to carefully place the cheese balls inside the hot oil.

To achieve the perfect result, deep fry the cheese balls in a single layer. Not overcrowding the pan is vital for crispier results. If you add too many, the temperature of the oil will decrease, resulting into absorbing too much oil and becoming soggy.

Place the cheese balls sparsely in the pan, without sticking one to another. Turn the cheese balls often in the pan and adjust the heat to avoid burning until they have a formed a rich golden brown crust.

So go ahead give this fried cheese ball recipe a try and amaze your friends and family. Enjoy your cheese balls while still hot with a last minute squeeze of a lemon! Oh and you can always read this delicious recipe in Greek here Τραγανές Τυροκροκέτες με φέτα συνταγή.

Extra Melty Fried Cheese Ball recipe! (Tirokroketes)

(644 votes, average: 4.86 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 14 cheese balls
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Fried
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Get the party started with these amazing Greek-style fried cheese ball recipe! Melty on the inside and with a wonderful golden brown crust on the outside! Have a bite and let the juices flow in your mouth.

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Ingredients

• 100g feta cheese, crumbled (3.5 ounces)
• 130g gouda, grated (4.5 ounces)
• 100g Mature Cheddar cheese, Regato or Graviera (3.5 ounces)
• 1 egg and 1 egg white
• 40g self raising flour (1.5 ounces)
• a splash of milk
• freshly ground pepper
• all-purpose flour for dredging
• vegetable oil for frying

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Instructions

1. To prepare these delicious fried cheese ball recipe, add all the ingredients into a medium bowl, season well with freshly ground pepper and blend to combine.
2. Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 45 minutes. This will help the mixture for the cheese balls to firm up a bit and make it easier to roll into balls.
3. Form the mixture into little cheese balls (this mixture is enough for 14-15 cheese balls) and dredge in some flour shaking off any excess.
4. Fry the cheese balls in a non-sticking pan with plenty of oil, until nicely colored. Place the fried cheese balls on some kitchen paper to absorb the extra oil. (Tips: Heat the oil until very hot and fry them in batches. If the surface of the pan is overcrowded then the temperature of the oil will decrease and your cheese balls will not be crispy any more!)
5. Serve the cheese balls while still hot with a squeeze of a lemon. Enjoy!

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Keywords: fried cheese balls recipe, how to make cheese balls, Greek cheese balls, tirokroketes

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The post Extra Melty Fried Cheese Ball recipe! (Tirokroketes) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Greek lemon potatoes are perfect on their own served with some crusted bread to dig into all the delicious juices or accompanying your moussaka, roast lamb, chicken, pork chops, a juicy burger or steak, and the list goes on.

So how to make the perfect traditional Greek lemon potatoes? It is as simple as 1-2-3 – Select the right potato variety, add the secret lemony ingredient and crisp them to perfection! So lets get started!

The perfect Greek lemon potatoes: start with the right potato variety

Selecting the right potato variety for your Greek lemon potatoes is crucial if you want to achieve that perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside texture. The ideal type is Maris Piper as they are one of the most starchy kind and will become quite crumbly when baked and even Heston Blumenthal recommends them!

There are two ways that you can bake your roast potatoes:

1. You can parboil them, i.e. cut them up in wedges, boil them in a pan until right before they are ready and then sift using a colander. Then drizzle with some semolina and the lemon sauce.
2. Alternatively you can cut your potatoes up in wedges, dress and bake them straight in the oven.

The second approach will take a little longer as the potatoes need to bake for longer but I have found that it gives them crispier edges, while the parboiled version allows for more of the lemon sauce to soak in and tend to be flakier.

The secret ingredient for the crispiest Greek lemon potatoes is in the sauce!

The special sauce that we will be using to garnish our favorite Greek lemon potatoes is nothing else than a mix of lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic and some semolina.

Semolina is made from ground up durum wheat and is perfect for making roasting dressings. Semolina will coat the potatoes and will harden up when cooking, forming a nice crispy skin around them and adding to the crunchiness of the maris piper potato.

For a large batch of about 7-8 potatoes use:

• 3 garlic cloves
• 3/4 of a cup olive oil
• equal amount of water (if not parboiled)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• the juice from 2 lemons
• 1 or 2 tsps of semolina, depending on how crispy you like your Greek lemon potatoes!

I always make a little extra just in case the potatoes need a little longer to cook and I have to season again mid-cooking.

What potatoes are best for baking?

If you are looking for a crisp edge, firm flesh and solid inside then go for a waxy potato, like Red Bliss, Desiree or similar red skinned potato or even new potatoes if you can cope with the smaller portion size.

If you are looking for a crunchy texture with a soft, fluffy inside, go for a starchy potato, like Maris Piper, classic Idaho or Russet.

Should you boil your potatoes before roasting?

Boiling your potatoes before roasting them (also known as parboiling) will help the potatoes develop a crunchy, crispy skin when baked. Why? Because parboiling them breaks down the starches in the potato and allows for more of the cooking oil and sauce to soak in.

However there are a couple of things to be mindful of to get the best result. Firstly, make sure you pick a starchy potato variety, like Maris Piper, Idaho or Russet. Also, when preparing them, cut them in thick, chunky wedges so they don’t fall apart when boiling.

Secondly, make sure you salt the boiling water. One tablespoon for a medium size pot should be sufficient. You want the water to barely taste salty! Boil them till they are just beginning to flake on the outside, remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and let them cool down on a dry tray.

Finally, when seasoning, use only oil, seasoning (oregano with a little lemon, mustard with a little orange juice) but do not add any water if you are parboiling them, to avoid them becoming soggy and breaking up in the oven. Heat up the oven as high as it can go and bake them till colored on the outside.

What to serve your greek lemon potatoes with?

Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed these lemon roast potatoes with a variety of roasts, like roast lamb, chicken, pork and of course beef and they have been the perfect side dish for my large Sunday family meal. So go ahead, give this traditional Greek lemon potatoes recipe a try and roast your potatoes to perfection!

Got a question or comment? Feel free to ask in the comments section below and of course don’t forget to share with your friends on your favorite social network using the buttons above!

Crispiest Greek Lemon Potatoes Recipe (Patates Lemonates)

(797 votes, average: 4.52 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 80 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Category: Sides
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Best Greek lemon potatoes recipe! Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside with yummy lemon-y flavor. All the secrets to roast the perfect Greek potatoes

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Ingredients

• 7 large potatoes (maris piper)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 150ml olive oil (3/4 cup)
• 150ml water (3/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon semolina
• salt and freshly ground pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F
2. To prepare these extra crispy Greek lemon potatoes, cut the potatoes into wedges and place them on a large metal roasting pan. Into a bowl add the remaining ingredients (including the semolina and the 150ml of water) and blend; pour the semolina-lemon mixture over the potatoes and season well with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, until a nice golden crust has formed on the potatoes; turn them out of the oven, toss them a little bit to bring them upside down, sprinkle with a pinch of oregano and put back into the oven for another 30-40 minutes. If all of the liquid has been absorbed and the pan appears to be getting dry, add 1/4-1/2 of a cup hot water into the pan or some extra lemon mixture, before they have fully browned
4. The secret for these extra crispy Greek lemon potatoes is to sprinkle the potatoes with some semolina, as it helps to form a nice golden crust around them. Don’t be afraid of over baking them- they will become even more delicious!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 plate
• Calories: 385kcal
• Sugar: 3.3g
• Sodium: 457.6mg
• Fat: 24g
• Saturated Fat: 3.5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 19.6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 41.9g
• Fiber: 6.5g
• Protein: 4.5g
• Cholesterol: 0g

Keywords: Greek lemon potatoes, Greek potatoes, Roast potatoes

The post Crispiest Greek Lemon Potatoes Recipe (Patates Lemonates) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

This is my ultimate cake which always surprises my guests when I tell them that it actually has no flour in it! Intrigued? Go ahead and discover what is portokalopita (orange syrup cake), how to make it the traditional way with my tips and tricks, how to store it, what to serve it with and of course my recipe!

What is Portokalopita?

The name Portokalopita is a Greek compound word formed from the roots “portokáli,” which means oranges, and “pita,” which refers to pastry. Why? Because this cake is made using phyllo pastry sheets! Even its Greek name literally translates to greek orange pie!

There is a saying that this Greek cake originated as a means to utilise the remaining dried up phyllo flakes that were left over when making traditional greek pies, like cheese pie and spinach pie. Which I must say is ingenious! It’s kind of like recycling but much tastier!

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

Most of the ingredients in this traditional Greek orange cake are fairly standard and most likely are already in your cupboard. The key ingredients that make all the difference in this recipe are:

• Yoghurt: Aim for the 2% variety so the cake is not too rich as we will also be adding oil to the mix
• Vegetable oil: Any light vegetable oil would be great for this recipe, such as sunflower oil.
• Oranges: Get some large, mature oranges, so you get plenty of flavour and juice out of them. You can also add some store bought orange juice to the mix if your oranges don’t have as much juice in them.
• Phyllo sheets: You’ll need about 2 packets worth of phyllo sheets from your local supermarket. Try to get the more delicate phyllo sheets if you have the option, as we will be crumbling them up to fine flakes. How? Check how many sheets are in the pack and how much the pack weighs. Get the pack with the most sheets for the least weight!

Preparing the phyllo for your Portokalopita

As the traditional portokalopita has no flour, it is very important that the phyllo sheets are prepared correctly – they act as the flour in your cake! So how to prepare them the traditional way?

Firstly, make sure your portocalopita phyllo sheets are completely dry. When preparing your orange syrup cake, the first thing to do is to take the phyllo sheets out of their wrap, crinkle them a bit with your hands and spread them over your work surface and let them stand for about 20 minutes until completely dry.

Alternatively, if you are short on time, crinkle the phyllo up and place it on baking trays and pop them in the oven at 100C/200F to dry. You’ll need to do multiple batches, so when the first batch is ready take them out, crumble them by hand and then repeat until all your portokalopita phyllo is dry.

Greek Orange Pie Preparation Steps

To prepare your greek orange pie start by making the syrup. Bring a pot of water, sugar, orange zest and a cinnamon stick to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup has thickened. Allow to cool before using.

Meanwhile, prepare the orange cake mix. In a large mixing dish, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs and whisk until combined.

Take the orange zest, yogurt, orange juice and vanilla extract. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl with a whisk. Add the baking powder in small batches before adding to avoid clumping together.

Using your hands, crumble the phyllo into tiny pieces. Add them carefully while whisking so that they don’t clump together.

Get a baking tray approx. 20x30cm / 8×12 inch in size, oil the bottom and sides, then add the mixture. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 180C/350F until golden brown and cooked throughout. Test for doneness by piercing a hole with a knife; if the knife comes out clean, the greek orange pie is cooked.

To finish the orange cake, pour slowly over the hot cake the cold syrup. Allow each spoonful of syrup to be absorbed before adding another. Allow for the syrup to be absorbed before chilling. This Greek orange cake is best served cold, not hot so it won’t break apart when cutting it and serving it.

Making ahead of time and storing

This Greek orange phyllo cake is ideal for making ahead of time! It must stay in the fridge for a while before the syrup can fully settle into the cake base, so it’s best to make it the day before you plan to serve it.

This orange syrup cake can be served cold, which I prefer, or at reheated to be lukewarm. To warm it up, serve a slice on a plate and pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to take the chill off. Experiment with what you prefer and let me know in the comments below!

You can store your leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This cake is not intended to be frozen as the phyllo sheets become soggy and will loose their delicious texture and flavor.

Serving suggestions

To add a touch of class, top the cake with thinly sliced oranges before baking. Before serving, you can drizzle your slices with chocolate syrup which goes amazingly well with the orange flavour of this cake! On a summer day, add a scoop of ice cream on top or some Greek yogurt on the side when you serve it, particularly if it’s hot outside! 

Love orangey desserts?

If you love orange scented desserts as much as I do, these recipes are made for you!

• Yoghurt cake soaked in orange syrup
• Orange peel preserve
• Orange cookies

Love syrupy desserts?

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

• Baklava Cheesecake
• Chocolate Baklava
• 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)
• 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)
• Samali – Semolina cake with mastic syrup 

Oh and you can always read this delicious recipe in Greek here: Πορτοκαλόπιτα συνταγή με φύλλο κρούστας.

Traditional Greek Orange Cake with Syrup (Portokalopita)

(753 votes, average: 4.54 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 50 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Looking for a traditional Greek Orange cake recipe? Discover the secrets behind making this extra syrupy Portokalopita infused with the aromas of oranges and cinnamon.

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Ingredients

For the Portokalopita

• 200g yogurt (2% fat) (7 ounces)
• 300 ml vegetable oil (1 and 1/4 of a cup)
• 300 ml sugar (1 and 1/4 of a cup)
• 300ml orange juice ( 1 and 1/4 of a cup)
• 20g baking powder (4 tsps)
• zest of 1 1/2 orange
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 440–450g phyllo dough (15 ounces)
• 4 medium sized eggs

For the syrup

• 400ml water (1 and 2/3 of a cup)
• 400ml sugar (1 and 2/3 of a cup)
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)

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  Samali recipe (Extra syrupy…

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  Greek Yogurt Cake Soaked in…

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Instructions

1. Unwrap the phyllo dough from the plastic sleeve; place the sheets on a large surface and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes, in order to dry well. Alternatively, spread a few on a large baking tray and bake at 100C/200F, until dry; repeat with the rest.
2. To prepare this Greek orange cake, start first by preparing the syrup. Pour into a pot the water, the sugar, the orange zest and a cinammon stick and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup has thickened. Set aside to cool.
3. In the meantime prepare the mixture for the orange cake. Pour the vegetable oil into a large bowl, add the sugar and the eggs and whisk. Add the yogurt, the orange juice, the orange zest and the vanilla extract and whisk well, until the ingredients combine and the mixture is smooth. Add the baking powder, and whisk lightly.
4. Crumble the phyllo into small pieces using your hands. Add them gradually into the mixture while whisking so they don’t stick to each other.
5. Using a cooking brush, oil the bottom and the sides of a baking tray (approx.20x30cm / 8×12 inch) and pour in the mixture. Bake in preheated oven at 180C/350F for 40-50 minutes until, nicely coloured and cooked through. Check if it is ready, by poking a hole with a knife. If the knife comes out clean, then the cake is ready.
6. To finish the orange cake, ladle slowly the cold syrup over the hot cake. Allow each ladle of syrup to be absorbed, before ladling again.
7. Allow time for the syrup to be absorbed and put in the refrigerator. Greek orange cake is ideally served cold, not hot, so that it does not crumble. Enjoy with a big spoonful of ice cream!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 piece
• Calories: 644kcal
• Sugar: 62.5g
• Sodium: 215.5mg
• Fat: 32g
• Saturated Fat: 5.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 25.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 86.7g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 5.1g
• Cholesterol: 2.6mg

Keywords: Portokalopita, Greek orange cake recipe, Orange cake with filo, Portokalopita with syrup

The post Traditional Greek Orange Cake with Syrup (Portokalopita) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

But sometimes you just don’t have any laying around. So I made this amazing bread with only four ingredients and best of all? Its preparation lasts less than the walk to the nearby bakery store! Only 10 minutes!

Try out this super easy bread with self rising flour recipe and you will be rewarded with a crispy golden-brown crust, a fluffy, soft and slightly chewy delicious loaf of bread. Enjoy while still warm with a spread of your favorite creamy butter or as a side to your delicious moussaka!

Can you use self raising flour to make bread?

Of course you can! After all, the difference between self raising flour and plain flour is that it has baking powder and some salt added to it.

Baking powder acts very similarly to soda when making bread and the Irish just love soda breads! In contrast to yeast, baking powder acts very differently when making bread. As soon as water is combined with the self-raising flour it starts to act, producing air bubbles that give the bread that fluffy appearance and texture.

On the other hand, yeast requires time to digest the sugars and ferment the bread. So while a yeast bread may need 4-5 hours to prove this self raising flour bread is ready to bake almost immediately.

Do you need yeast when using self-raising flour to make bread?

No, at least not the traditional bread yeast. When using self rising flour the bread proofs much faster. Therefore, if you also add yeast to it you will need to wait for it to act.

As a result your bread will be way over-proofed and will most likely collapse while baking. However, by skipping the yeast entirely you will loose out on that delicious bread flavour. To make your bread taste delicious, there are three tricks that make all the difference.

How to make the perfect easy self raising flour bread

There are three things that make this self raising flour bread taste simply amazing.

1. Firstly its the beer. It contains natural yeast that will substitute that bread-y flavour that yeast would normally give. Beer also contains air bubbles that will give your bread a delicious soft and chewy texture.
2. The second trick is not to let the bread prove at all. When you are done kneading it, shape it and bake it. This will contain how much the bread rises and it won’t collapse.
3. The third trick is kneading. Self raising flour doesn’t contain as much gluten as bread flour so its best to put in a little extra elbow grease in to let the gluten develop or just use a hand mixer with a dough hook to do the work for you.

Love bread? These delicious bread recipes are made for you!

If you love bread as much as I do, then this list of my favourite breads recipes is made for you! 

1. Greek rustic village bread
2. No knead bread
3. Bread machine sourdough bread
4. Pita breads, perfect for a souvlaki!
5. Extra soft Burger buns
6. Sesame bread rings
7. Olive bread
8. Raisin bread
9. Lagana bread (Greek flat bread)

What to serve it with?

What I love the most about having freshly made bread is soaking up that a delicious stew sauce, dipping it in my salad and of course covering it with delicious dips! Take a look at my very best dishes that go great with this bread in the links below!

1. Greek beef soup
2. Greek peas and potatoes stew (Arakas kokkinistos)
3. Potatoes stew (Patates Yahni)
4. Delicious Briam (greek mixed baked vegetables / ratatouille)
5. My 3 super easy hummus recipes
6. Aubergine dip (melitzanosalata)
7. Garlic and potato dip (Skordalia)
8. Taramasalata (fish roe dip)
9. Tzatziki recipe! 

Self rising flour, easy bread recipe for beginners!

(833 votes, average: 4.72 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 60 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 14 pieces
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

A super easy bread recipe using only four ingredients! As you are using self rising flour and beer for this easy bread recipe, you don’t need to wait for the dough to rise. So more time to enjoy it!

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Ingredients

• 500g self-rising flour (17.5 ounces) without added salt. If you’re in the US, the self raising flour most likely contains salt already added to it. If you can’t find any flour without salt, try using plain flour and add 6 flat teaspoons of baking powder to the mix.
• 330ml beer, blonde pale lager such as bottled Heineken (1 1/3 of a cup)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsps olive oil

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Instructions

1. To prepare this easy bread recipe, add into a basin all the ingredients and blend with your hands, until the dough becomes an elastic ball. Alternatively, add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix using your hand-mixer with the dough hook attached until the dough is soft and does not crumble. Depending on the kind of flour used, the weather and many other factors, you may not need to use all the flour, or you may need some more. Leave 50g of flour aside and add a little bit at a time, until the dough is firm and not too sticky.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) (with both top and bottom heating elements on) or 180C (350F) fan. Because in this easy bread recipe you are using self-rising flour and beer it is not necessary to wait for the dough to rise.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board, wet your hands and split it in half. Knead each half with your hands, to form two round loafs.
4. Sprinkle the bread loafs with some water and sieve with some flour. You can also sprinkle with some sesame seeds for some extra crunchiness.
5. With a sharp knife, score the top of each loaf. Make 3-4 slashes across the top with a few deeper than the others.
6. Layer the bottom of a baking tray with some greaseproof paper and place the loafs on top. Bake in the preheated oven at 200C (400F) with both top and bottom heating elements on or 180C (350F) fan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until a nicely coloured crust forms and is cooked throughout.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 piece
• Calories: 157kcal
• Sugar: 0.1g
• Sodium: 84.7mg
• Fat: 2.3g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 28.1g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 3.8g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: Easy bread recipe, Bread with self rising flour, Bread with beer

The post An easy bread recipe for beginners with self raising flour! appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Deliciously soft, creamy and with a crunchy bite. And best of all? It is ready to serve in only 10 minutes!

Mosaiko – A delicious Greek chocolate and biscuits no-bake dessert!

Mosaiko, also known as “Kormos” is a deliciously simple, no-bake chocolate dessert, which is very popular in Greece, in particular with busy families! It is made of crushed biscuits covered in chocolate and then formed into a “salami” shaped log.

In Greek. the name Mosaiko literally means “mosaic”, and, looking at this dessert it’s clear why! When cut, the biscuits and chocolate resemble a mosaic! Also called “Kormos” which, in Greek means a log, with that name being inspired from its long tubular shape!

Traditional Mosaiko key preparation steps and tips

Mosaiko is a super simple recipe to make. All you need to do is:

1. Crush the biscuits
2. Prepare your meringue
3. Prepare your chocolate mixture
4. Combine and shape

Tips to prepare your Mosaiko meringue: If you haven’t made meringue before, there are three things to be careful off. Firstly, you’ll need to have either a hand mixer or a stand mixer at hand.

While you can make meringue just by hand, I find it quite tiresome, as you’ll be mixing for a while before the eggs fluff up.

Crack your eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. You can use the egg shells as a little “spoon” to hold the egg yolk inside! Add a pinch of salt and sugar to your egg whites. Salt helps the eggs stiffen up and form peaks!

With your hand or stand mixer and its whisk attachment, whisk the egg white – salt – sugar mixture until they have formed soft peaks.

A soft peak is when you remove the whisk and the egg whites are fluffy but solid like the picture below! Be careful not to over-mix as the eggs will become stiff and break down into liquid!

Prepare your Mosaiko chocolate and combine: In this Mosaiko (Greek chocolate and biscuits dessert) I’m using cocoa powder and butter to make the chocolate mixture. I find this gives the Mosaiko a velvety texture and makes it super easy to cut.

However if you lust for more chocolate, feel free to experiment by adding 100g/3.5oz of melted dark chocolate in the butter cocoa mixture! It will taste richer but it will also be a bit more solid when cold!

What to serve your Mosaiko (Greek chocolate and biscuits log) with

I absolutely love serving my Mosaiko on its own together with a traditional Greek coffee! It also pairs excellently with scoop full of vanilla ice-cream!

If you love no bake chocolate desserts, then my no bake Mosaiko cake variation, my Greek style yoghurt chocolate mousse with crushed biscuits are made for you! And if you simply want the most decadent chocolate cake, then my delicious sokolatopita (Greek Chocolate cake) is to die for!

Mosaiko recipe (Greek Chocolate and Biscuits Dessert)

(652 votes, average: 4.85 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 0 min
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 portions
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

For all the chocolate lovers..A mouthwatering all-weather Greek chocolate and biscuits dessert (Mosaiko)! Soft, creamy and with a crunchy bite.. And best of all? Ready in 10 minutes!

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Ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter, melted (9 ounces)
• 200g icing sugar (7 ounces)
• 3 tbsps cocoa powder
• 2 eggs extra fresh, free range eggs (separated into whites and yolks)
• 2 tbsps cognac or orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g Petit beurre, crushed (11 ounces)
• a pinch of salt
• a pinch of sugar

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Instructions

1. To prepare the mosaiko, separate the eggs into whites and yolks.
2. Add the egg whites, a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar in the mixer’s bowl. Make sure your egg whites, bowl and whisk attachments are clean and free of any water. Whisk the egg whites until white and foamy. Add 35g icing sugar and whisk until the mixture is very thick and glossy and a long trailing peak forms when the whisk is lifted (meringues). You can use either pasteurised eggs or pasteurise them before using them.
3. In the meantime melt the butter. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl, add the icing sugar, the cocoa powder, the vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Add the egg yolks and whisk. Add the meringues and blend with light circular movements. At the end add the crushed biscuits and mix.
4. Pour the mixture on a rectangular baking cake tin lined with some cling film. Shape the mixture into a long strip, then take the cling film out and roll the edges together to form into a sausage. Place in the fridge or the freezer for 1-2 hours until set.
5. Turn the form upside down onto a platter; remove the plastic wrap and serve the mosaiko in slices with some vanilla ice cream. Store in the fridge.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 piece
• Calories: 374kcal
• Sugar: 22.6g
• Sodium: 538.9mg
• Fat: 24.2g
• Saturated Fat: 14.2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 37.1g
• Fiber: 1.2g
• Protein: 4.1g
• Cholesterol: 91mg

Keywords: Mosaiko recipe, Greek Chocolate Dessert

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The post Mosaiko recipe (Greek Chocolate and Biscuits Dessert) appeared first on My Greek Dish.