Read on to learn about the best potatoes for Greek potato salad and how to make this easy and flavourful dish to perfection!

What is Greek Potato Salad (Patatosalata)?

Greek potato salad (Patatosalata) is a classic rustic dish. It’s a simple and delicious combination of potatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh parsley, red onion, garlic, dill and feta cheese.

All the ingredients are mixed together and is served cold or at room temperature to allow the the flavours to mix!

This is a great side dish to serve with grilled meats or fish or as part of a summer meal. Enjoy Greek potato salad as an easy and flavorful way to enjoy the best flavors of Greece!

• Easy to make: This is a simple dish that’s ready in around half an hour
• Scale as you need: Make as much salad as you need for bigger occasions

Greek Potato Salad Key Ingredients

• Potatoes: You’ll need around 750g of baby potatoes for this recipe to serve up to six people.
• Salad ingredients: This potato salad recipe uses feta cheese, red onion, capers and lemon juice, along with fresh dill and parsley.

Key Preparation steps for Greek Potato Salad

There are just two main steps in creating this potato salad recipe:

1. Cook the potatoes
2. Create the salad

Cook the potatoes

Put the potatoes in a pan of cold water with lots of salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 minutes until tender, then drain and leave them to cool.

Create Greek Potato salad

Take a large bowl and whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Half the potatoes and add them to the bowl, then crumble in the feta.

Peel and finely chop the onion, then add to the potatoes.

Add the drained capers, chopped herbs and a good amount of black pepper.

Fold together the ingredients and season as needed. Leave to set for 20 minutes to let the flavors mix before serving.

What are the best potatoes for Greek potato salad?

For the best flavor and texture, the ideal potatoes to use in Greek potato salad are waxy varieties such as red potatoes or new potatoes.

These types of potatoes are lower in starch and will hold their shape better when boiled, resulting in a delicious and sturdy salad. Yukon Gold or russet potatoes can also be used but may break down more quickly.

What could you use in Greek potato salad in place of feta cheese?

If you’re looking for a substitute for feta cheese in Greek potato salad, try substituting it with crumbled goat cheese or a vegan cheese alternative. Both of these options will give the dish a tangy flavor and creamy texture similar to that of feta.

Consider adding capers or kalamata olives to add additional Mediterranean flair and saltiness.

What can you add if you don’t like capers?

If you don’t like capers, you can still achieve a similar flavor in a Greek potato salad with other Mediterranean ingredients. Try adding roasted red peppers or chopped artichoke hearts to give the dish extra texture and flavor.

Or, go with something more traditional and opt for chopped green olives or sun-dried tomatoes to give your Greek potato salad an extra punch. Finally, if you’re looking to add a bit of sweetness, consider some diced shallots.

Variations

Greek potato salad can be easily adapted to suit different tastes. For a saucier version of the dish, use plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise and add diced cucumbers or tomatoes for a refreshing twist.

Add chili flakes or replace the feta cheese with crumbled goat cheese for a spicier version.

Substitute olives for the red onion and oregano for dill to give it a Mediterranean flair.

Serving suggestions

Greek potato salad is a versatile side dish that pairs well with roasted chicken or fish, grilled lamb, or other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

It can also be served as a light lunch or dinner on its own, topped with chopped fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, or parsley.

Try adding a few Kalamata olives, feta cheese and village bread for an easy and flavorful meal!

Other delicious Greek salads

If you love my salad, then you’ll also love my following handpicked recommendations!

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

Easy Greek Potato Salad (Patatosalata)

(78 votes, average: 4.92 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus cooling and resting time)
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 portions
• Category: Salad
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Looking for a delicious and flavorful side dish or a light meal? This Greek potato salad (Patatosalata) is the answer! A classic Mediterranean dish perfect for any occasion!

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Ingredients

• 750–800g baby potatoes (roughly 1 3/4 lb)
• salt
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 100g feta (3 1/2 oz)
• 1/2 red onion
• 4 tbsp capers in brine
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• black pepper to taste

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• 

  Grilled Halloumi and Roasted…

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  Greek Pasta Salad recipe

• 

  Potato Salad (Greek Patatosalata)

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Greek potato salad recipe start by boiling the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a pan of cold water with a very generous amount of salt and bring to the boil. Cook until tender; this should take about 20 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool.
2. To assemble the salad, in the bottom of a large bowl whisk together the extra virgin olive oil and the fresh lemon juice.
3. Halve the potatoes into the bowl, then crumble in the feta. Peel and finely chop the red onion, before adding it to the potatoes along with the drained capers, chopped herbs and a good amount of black pepper.
4. Fold together the salad and season to taste with more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside to allow the flavours to blend for at least 20 minutes. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek potato salad, patatosalata

The post Easy Greek Potato Salad (Patatosalata) 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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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.

With my Vegan Lentil Moussaka, you get all the delicious potatoes and eggplants along with a vegan-friendly Béchamel sauce that even uses a clever ingredient to create that cheesy flavor on the topping and my delicious, packed with flavour, lentil based filling! 

So read along to discover what you’ll need to make the most delicious vegan lentil moussaka, my tips and tricks to help you make it to perfection, my step by step photos, and of course my unique recipe!

What is a traditional Moussaka?

Moussaka is arguably the most famous Greek dish. It is served in every Greek taverna and is the dish of choice for a large family gathering and special occasions.

Moussaka is a delicious eggplant, potato and mince meat casserole topped with a deliciously creamy and cheesy béchamel sauce. The essence of the traditional moussaka is summarised in:

1. Its umami packed filling: The traditional Moussaka sauce is a deep dark red/brown ragu, which is both meaty yet fragrant and is packed with umami flavours. The traditional moussaka uses a combination of beef or lamb to make the sauce together with garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon and red wine.
2. Its creamy béchamel: The traditional Moussaka is topped with a creamy, thick béchamel that is packed with a distinct savoury taste yet is extra fragrant because of the grated cheese and nutmeg!
3. Its deliciously juicy vegetables: Aubergines and potatoes are cooked separately and then added to the moussaka when ready to assemble. The aubergines give it a delicious juiciness and the potatoes that extra starchiness and robustness in its flavour, making it a complete meal!

So keeping the above in mind, how can we make the perfect Vegan moussaka while keeping its “essence” – the umami packed filling, its creamy béchamel and its deliciously juicy vegetables intact?

Making the perfect Vegan Moussaka with Lentils – Key Ingredients

In order for your Vegan moussaka recipe to keep its authenticity, we need to carefully select our meat and dairy substitutes. After plenty of experimentation I’ve narrowed it down to the following key ingredients:

• Lentils: they are the perfect meat substitute. They are nutritious, natural and healthy. Also they are a staple ingredient in the Greek cuisine! In my recipe I’ve opted to use green Lentils but you can also use any variety of whole (not split) brown lentils as well.
• Dried mushrooms: To make the sauce more “meaty” I’ve opted to use a sprinkling of dried mushrooms. They will expand when cooking and will impart their natural umami flavour that makes this vegan moussaka so delicious!
• Herbs and spices: After plenty of experimentation and keeping to the moussaka tradition, I’ve put together a delicious herbs and spices mix that makes this moussaka taste just like the original! You’ll need some garlic, cinnamon, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, red wine, oregano and a bay leaf to season your sauce to perfection
• Vegan friendly béchamel: The classic Bechamel sauce is unfortunately using cows milk and butter so is not vegan or lent friendly. In keeping with the Greek tradition, I’ve opted to prepare my vegan béchamel using olive oil for the roux. To give it that extra creaminess but without sacrificing its flavour, I’ve found that soy milk is an excellent substitute for regular cows milk. To bring in those delicious Greek flavours and aromas, I’ve also infused the béchamel with a brown onion, cinnamon stick, bay leafs, nutmeg and garlic powder.
• Nutritional yeast: This is my one secret ingredient that makes the béchamel taste so special! So what is nutritional yeast? It’s a natural product that is made out of deactivated bakers or brewers yeast. It is highly nutritious, containing plenty of vitamin B and proteins. And best of all? It imparts a deliciously cheesy flavour to the béchamel!
• Potatoes and Aubergines! A Moussaka is not a moussaka without potatoes and generous helping of aubergines. So make sure you grab yourself a bunch and let’s get cooking!

Tip: You can use almond milk in place of soy milk if you prefer. It will give the sauce a nuttier flavor but it won’t brown as much as it would with soy milk. So if you want to use this option, add some breadcrumbs to the top to help brown the dish.

Preparing your Vegan Moussaka with Lentils

To prepare your Vegan Lentil Moussaka you’ll need to follow the following four key steps:

1. Prepare the lentil sauce
2. Prepare the vegetables
3. Prepare the bechamel
4. Assemble and bake!

So get your pans out and let’s get started!

Preparing the Vegan Moussaka Lentil sauce

To prepare your Vegan Moussaka recipe lentil sauce, you’ll firstly need to soak your dried mushrooms in 500ml / 2 cups of boiling water. This will help the mushrooms hydrate!

Then in a large saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent and just beginning to color. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until its aroma is coming through.

Once your onions are soft and translucent and the garlic cooked, its time to add the spices. Start by adding the ground cinnamon, the tomato paste and simmer until the tomato paste has caramelised. This releases the delicious umami flavour in the tomato paste!

Next stir in the chopped tomatoes, red wine, balsamic vinegar and the water from the dried mushrooms, keeping a little aside to wash out the tomato tin to get all that delicious tomato juice! Stir in the lentils, oregano, the bay leaf and lastly add the soaked dried mushrooms.

Bring to a boil, then season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour until the lentils are soft, stirring occasionally.

Tip: Keep an eye on your lentil sauce when its cooking. If it looks like its drying out add a little more water and stir.

Preparing your Vegan Bechamel Sauce

To prepare our delicious Vegan Bechamel sauce firstly we will need to infuse the milk. In a medium sized pot add your soy milk, the roughly chopped white onion, the cinnamon stick, the peppercorns and the bay leaf. Cook over medium-high heat until it just comes to a boil then remove and set aside to infuse.

To make the béchamel sauce, you’ll first need to make a roux. In another saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is warm and has started to simmer, add the flour and whisk. Cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly so your flour cooks and looses that flour-y taste.

Strain your milk and gradually whisk in the flour mixture. You’ll need to keep whisking so no lumps form. To take some of the labour out, you can use your electric hand mixer with the whisk attachment!

Once all the milk has been absorbed into the flour and the sauce has thickened, remove from the heat and whisk in the spices – the nutmeg, garlic powder and salt. Add the nutritional yeast, whisk and taste. Add some more salt if needed to bring out the cheesy flavour of the yeast.

Your vegan moussaka béchamel sauce is now ready!

Preparing your Vegan Moussaka Vegetables

Start by preparing your potatoes. Slice them thinly and lay them our on a large baking sheet or two, depending on the size of your sheets and spray or brush with olive oil. Season your potatoes with some salt, flip them over and repeat.

Preheat your oven to 220C/430F and place your potato tray in to cook for approximately 30 minutes or until well browned.

Tip: Line your baking sheets with parchment paper – your potatoes won’t stick and you won’t have to flip them over while cooking either! Also, if you don’t have an olive oil spray you can brush olive oil onto the potato and eggplant slices using a pastry brush.

Now its time to prepare your eggplants. Cut them lengthwise into finger-width slices, place them on baking parchment lined baking sheets and season with salt. Spray or brush with some olive oil, flip them over and repeat.

In the preheated oven (220C/430F) bake your eggplants for approximately 20 minutes until tender. As with your potatoes, you won’t need to flip them over half way. However you’ll need to rotate the baking sheets in the oven half way to make sure they brown evenly!

Do you need to fry the potatoes and eggplant?

It is common to fry the potatoes and eggplant before assembling the dish but I roasted them instead for a healthier option. If you do prefer to fry them, cover the base of the pan with olive oil and cook over a high heat until golden on each side. Use some kitchen towel to blot away the oil and continue with the vegan moussaka recipe!

Do you need to salt the eggplant?

With modern eggplant varieties, there’s no need to salt them to remove bitterness. However, if you use heirloom varieties or find your eggplant is unusually bitter, you can salt the slices and leave them in a colander for about 30 minutes.

Rinse off the salt and squeeze out extra moisture before continuing with the recipe. Just skip the salt before roasting them if you do this.

Assembling your Vegan Moussaka with Lentils and baking it

Now that your key ingredients are all ready, its time to assemble the vegan moussaka and bake it. Start by spreading the potatoes in a single layer over the bottom of a deep 32cm x 20cm (12-inch x 8 inch) baking dish.

Then layer half of the eggplant slices, followed by the lentil mixture. Add the rest of the eggplant, spreading them evenly on top. Finally pour over the béchamel and smooth it over with a spoon or a spatula.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F and bake your moussaka for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown.

To serve, remove your vegan moussaka with lentils from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes until it has cooled down a bit. This will help you cut the dish without it falling apart!

Making ahead of time and storing

From my experience, this recipe doesn’t freeze very well as the béchamel, filling and potatoes turn soggy when frozen. If you want to prepare it in advance, prepare all the key steps and assemble the dish. Cover it with some cling film and place in your fridge where it will last for 1-2 days. When you want to serve, preheat the oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.

To store any leftovers, slice them up and place them in airtight containers. You can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. To serve, place your slices on a baking sheet and reheat at 100C / 220F for approximately 30 minutes until piping hot throughout.

Serving suggestions

This vegan lentil moussaka recipe is delicious on its own and a complete meal! I do love serving it with some delicious village crusty bread, sourdough bread, some delicious vegan tzatziki and a delicious Greek Salad! If I’m looking to make it into a larger meal I love pairing it with some delicious Greek lemon roast potatoes and some roast vegetables (briam) on the side!

More delicious Greek Vegan recipes

For more Greek vegan and lenten recipes take a look at my hand selected collection below:

• Greek Peas And Potato Stew With Tomatoes
• Country-Style Greek Potato Stew
• Delicious Briam Recipe (Greek Mixed Roasted Vegetables)
• Traditional Greek Green Beans
• Chickpea Fritters Recipe (Revithokeftedes)
• Traditional Greek Kolokithokeftedes (Fried Zucchini/Courgette Balls)
• Tinos Fennel Fritters
• Tomatokeftedes (Fried Santorini Tomato Balls / Tomato Fritters)

And of course my vegan meze platter collection below:

Vegan Meze Platter:

• Vegan tzatziki sauce
• Greek Pita bread
• Greek “village style” rustic bread
• Hummus dip
• Crispy Greek Fried Eggplant
• Crispy Fried Zucchini – Courgette Fritters
• Greek Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves with rice)
• Authentic Greek Fava Recipe (Yellow Split Peas Puree)

Vegan Moussaka with Lentils

(100 votes, average: 4.88 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Yield: 8
• Category: Main
• Method: baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

So you love moussaka but you are fasting for lent or you are a vegan? That doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite dish anymore! This is my delicious vegan moussaka with lentils recipe that I’ve specifically crafted, so it keeps the essence of the traditional one, yet is fully plant based!

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Ingredients

For the Vegan Moussaka Lentils sauce

• 5g dried mushrooms (1/2 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion
• salt to taste
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400g can chopped tomatoes (14 oz)
• 1 glass red wine (approx. 250ml / 1 cup)
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 200g dried green lentils (7 oz)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• black pepper to taste
• sugar to taste

For the Vegan Moussaka Béchamel sauce

• 1 brown onion
• 600ml soy milk (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 black peppercorns
• 60ml extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
• 80g flour (2 3/4 oz)
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt to taste

For the Moussaka

• 3 large eggplant
• 3 medium potatoes
• olive oil
• salt

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  Country-style Greek Potato stew…

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• 

  Crispy Greek Fried Eggplant…

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Instructions

1. Pour 500ml (2 cups) of boiling water over the dried mushrooms and set aside to soak.
2. Infuse the milk for the béchamel. Roughly chop the white onion and add to a small saucepan or milk pan along with the soy milk, cinnamon stick, one of the bay leaves and the peppercorns. Set over a medium high heat and gently bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped red onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent and just starting to colour. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further minute until aromatic.
4. Stir in the ground cinnamon, followed by the tomato paste. Cook for a further minute or two until the tomato paste has caramelised slightly and turned brick red.
5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, red wine, balsamic vinegar, and the dried mushroom soaking liquid, using a little soaking liquid or wine to wash out the tomato tin so you don’t leave any juice behind. Stir in the lentils, oregano, the remaining dried bay leaf, and the soaked dried mushrooms, finely chopped.
6. Bring to the boil and season well with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
7. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 220C/430F.
8. Slice the potatoes into 0.5cm (half a finger width) slices. Line a large baking sheet (you might need two depending on the size of your sheets) with baking parchment and lay out the potato slices. Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Flip the pieces over and repeat. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until well browned – with the baking parchment, there should be no need to flip them to colour both sides.
9. To prepare the eggplant, slice lengthwise into 1cm (one finger width) wide strips. As with the potatoes, transfer to baking parchment lined baking sheets, season on both sides with salt, and spray with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes; there will also be no need to turn the eggplant pieces half way, but you’ll want to rotate the pans in the oven roughly half way to make sure everything browns evenly.
10. Once the vegetables are done, drop the oven temperature to 180C/350F.
11. When the lentils are about 10 minutes from being cooked, start the béchamel. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Once the oil has just started to shimmer, whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly to cook the raw flavour out of the flour.
12. Strain the infused milk and gradually whisk it into the flour mixture, whisking quickly to avoid any lumps. Whisk in the nutritional yeast, nutmeg, and garlic powder, and and season to taste with salt – you’ll probably need more than you think to bring out the ‘cheesy’ flavour of the nutritional yeast. Remove from the heat only when the mixture is thick, but still spreadable.
13. To assemble the moussaka, spread the potatoes in a single layer across the bottom of a deep 32cm x 20cm (12 inch x 8 inch) baking dish. Then, layer half the eggplant slices, followed by the lentil mixture. Add the rest of the eggplant, and smooth the béchamel over the top.
14. Bake the moussaka for 30 minutes or until the top is golden. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

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Keywords: vegan moussaka, vegan moussaka with lentils, moussaka with lentils, vegan lentil moussaka

The post Vegan Moussaka with Lentils appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So read along to discover my vegan yogurt shoot-out to find the best vegan yogurt for your tzatziki, my step by step preparation photos and of course my delicious recipe and vegan dish pairing suggestions for you to make the best dairy-free tzatziki you have every had!

What is tzatziki?

Tzatziki is a creamy, yoghurt based sauce, flavoured with minced garlic, grated cucumber, olive oil and vinegar. Tzatziki is commonly served as a dip, paired with sticks of cucumber and carrots or as part of a maze platter, together with some crusty bread and toasted pita breads! 

The secret behind the traditional Greek tzatziki is its yoghurt. Traditionally, tzatziki is made with Greek yoghurt, which is different from your usual yogurts because it is strained and the excess milk whey is removed. 

This straining process results in a much thicker yogurt that is also tangier and much creamier than plain yogurt. However, if you have ever tried a Vegan Tzatziki sauce before, you may have noticed that it just didn’t taste the same as the original. Why? It’s all because of the yogurt…

So, to make my Vegan Tzatziki taste just like the original I knew I had to find the best vegan yoghurt, one that tastes just like a strained Greek Yogurt. But how?

I tried all of the Greek style vegan yogurts available at your local supermarket – both branded and own brand, as well as their variations – soy, oat and coconut based.

I also tried the popular home-made “yogurts” which are made with ground up cashew nuts and soy. And I finally found one that is virtually indistinguishable from the original! 

So let’s get started! 

Vegan Tzatziki Ingredients

To make your dairy-free Vegan Tzatziki sauce to perfection you’ll need a handful of ingredients:

1. Vegan Yogurt: This is the base of your dairy-free vegan tzatziki. You will need a yogurt that is neutral in flavour, creamy and tangy, that has no hints of sweetness. Most vegan tzatziki recipes use either cashew nuts or soy to make the yogurt base. However, these just don’t taste the same as a traditional strained Greek Yoghurt. Luckily  there is one natural vegan yogurt that tastes just like the original – check out my vegan yogurt shoot out below for more!
2. Cucumber: You’ll need around half a cucumber to make your vegan tzatziki. The cucumber will add freshness to the tzatziki sauce, together with a crunchy bite to it.
3. Garlic: Arguably the most important flavouring in your tzatziki! Depending on how “spicy” you like it, use 2-4 cloves. Make sure you mince them using a garlic press to extract all their delicious aromas and flavors!
4. Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is a must. It will add a delicious earthy, nutty flavor to your tzatziki, complementing the creaminess of the yogurt.
5. Vinegar: A dash of plain white wine vinegar will cut through the creaminess of the yogurt, giving your vegan tzatziki a slight acidity. If you don’t have white wine vinegar, a cider vinegar also works great.
6. Salt, Pepper and (optionally) herbs: While the traditional greek tzatziki does not call for any herbs, if you like yours a bit more fragrant, you can try adding some chopped dill or mint!

Picking the right yogurt for your vegan tzatziki 

Since the basis for your vegan tzatziki is the dairy-free yogurt, we need one that closely resembles the taste, consistency, and color of the traditional strained Greek yoghurt. What we are looking for is:

1. Creamy: The texture of the vegan yogurt needs to be thick, creamy and by no means watery. 
2. Tangy: The vegan yogurt needs to have a tangy aftertaste and a hint of sharpness to its flavour. 
3. Neutral in flavor: Ideally the vegan yogurt needs to be neutral in taste, without a sweet or fruity aftertaste. A neutral base will allow the flavours of the garlic, cucumber and the optional dill or mint to come through. And of course, it must not have an artificial aftertaste!
4. White in color: The vegan yogurt needs to have a white or off-white color, to resemble the original as closely as possible.

With that in mind, I bought all the vegan yogurts I could find at my local supermarket and taste tested them to see how they compare against the original.

I tried both brand named ones as well as a store own brand as well as their three major variations – soy, oat and coconut based. And there was one clear winner! 

The best yogurt for your Vegan Tzatziki: Oatly Oatgurt Greek Style

Without a doubt, the Oatly Oatgurt Greek style dairy free yogurt is the best for making your vegan Tzatziki. I was admittedly surprised when I tasted it for the first time. It tasted exactly the same as a strained Greek Yoghurt. So much so that I decided to do a blind test between it and my regular, usual strained Greek Yogurt. I could not distinguish the two! 

Its consistency is thick and creamy, just as you would expect from a Greek yogurt. Its color is a beautiful slightly off-white shade. 

When tasting the Oatly Oatgurt Greek Style yogurt, you initially get that sharp tangy flavor, together with a velvety, smooth taste in the mouth. Thankfully, it also did not leave any artificial aftertaste. This is a beautiful vegan Greek Yoghurt, ideally suited for savoury dips, like our dairy-free, vegan tzatziki!

How did the remaining vegan yogurts in my round up taste like? Read on to find out!

Alpro Greek Style Oat vegan yogurt

I had high hopes for this one. After all, it is also an oat based yogurt, just like my favorite, the Oatly. However, when I opened it I was surprised by its color and texture.

The Alpro Greek Style Oat yogurt was a lot more jelly like, feeling almost like a creme brûlée in texture. Its color was also slightly more off-white than the Oatly. 

When tasting it, it was obvious that this yogurt is much sweeter than the Oatly and the traditional Greek yogurt. The tangy, sharp “bite” I was expecting was not there. You definitely don’t want to be making a savoury dip with this one!

Thankfully, it also did not leave an artificial aftertaste but rather one that had a hint of oats. All in all, it tasted like a delicious desert and it would go great with some chopped up fruit or biscuits, like my delicious quick and easy Greek yogurt desert!

Alpro Greek Style Coconut vegan yogurt

With the Alpro Greek Style Coconut vegan yogurt being coconut based I expected it to be sweet and, of course, taste like coconut milk!

And indeed that is exactly how it tasted! It was fairly sweet, velvety in texture with a hint of sharpness and tanginess. Its consistency was thick and very, very creamy. As expected, it left a slight coconut aftertaste, like the you’ve drunk coconut milk.

What really impressed me with the Alpro Greek Style coconut yogurt was its color. It was bright white, much whiter than all the rest, including the original Greek Yogurt! 

Finally, while I loved its taste, it would not be suitable for a savoury dip, like my vegan tzatziki sauce. However, its deliciously creamy texture and sweetness would work amazingly well with some chopped up fruit as a light dessert! 

And lastly – Tesco’s Free From Soy vegan yogurt

I must admit, I was disappointed when tasting Tesco’s Free From Soy vegan yogurt. Being soy based, I was expecting a neutral flavor that could be a good alternative to the Oatly and similar to the original Greek yogurt. 

However, I was disappointed. Firstly, its consistency was very watery and not creamy at all. Texture wise, from the ones I’ve tested, it resembled the original strained Greek yogurt the least.

Looking at the nutritional label, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. It has the least amount of fat among all of the vegan yogurts I tested.

Secondly, its taste had a strong hint of soy coming through with a very little sharpness and tanginess. While it had no hint of sweetness, it also left a weird aftertaste that felt very artificial.

Unfortunately this yogurt would not be suitable for a vegan tzatziki. Also due to its odd aftertaste I could not imagine myself using it for a fruit or biscuit based dessert either. 

How to make a vegan, dairy-free, Tzatziki sauce

Making your vegan tzatziki sauce is super simple. Start by pouring the yoghurt in a large bowl. Then, grate your cucumber using a box grater. You don’t need to peel the cucumber – just cut it in half and grate it! 

Tip: The cucumber is quite watery. After you’ve grated it you’ll need to squeeze it with your hands over your sink to remove any excess moisture. When it’s dry, place it in your bowl.

Now let’s peel and press the garlic. Grab a couple of garlic cloves, gently press down on them using your hands and peel them. Then, use your garlic press to squeeze them on your bowl.

Finally, add your olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper and mix it all together. Give your vegan tzatziki a taste and add some more salt if it tastes bland.

If you’d like your dairy-free tzatziki sauce a bit more creamy, add a little bit more olive oil and mix. This is also the time to add any chopped up herbs, if you’re using them. Finally top it off with some olives and chopped up cucumber for some extra crunch!

Storing your Vegan Tzatziki

To store your vegan tzatziki, wrap your bowl with some cling film (plastic wrap) and pop it in the fridge. It will keep for approximately 4 days. When you want to use it, take it out of the fridge, mix it so any liquids that may have come out are incorporated and serve.

What to serve your Vegan Tzatziki sauce with?

This vegan yogurt sauce is super versatile and goes well with pretty much any savoury dish you can imagine!

I love serving it with some sliced up cucumber and carrots as a simple dip to start our dinner as well as as part of a vegan meze platter and as a side to some delicious Greek vegan dishes.

Below are my top recommendations and serving suggestions!

As part of a Vegan Meze Platter:

• Greek Pita bread
• Greek “village style” rustic bread
• Hummus dip
• Crispy Greek Fried Eggplant
• Crispy Fried Zucchini – Courgette Fritters
• Greek Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves with rice)
• Authentic Greek Fava Recipe (Yellow Split Peas Puree)

As a side dish to a vegan dish:

• Vegan moussaka with lentils
• Greek Peas And Potato Stew With Tomatoes
• Country-Style Greek Potato Stew
• Delicious Briam Recipe (Greek Mixed Roasted Vegetables)
• Traditional Greek Green Beans
• Chickpea Fritters Recipe (Revithokeftedes)
• Traditional Greek Kolokithokeftedes (Fried Zucchini/Courgette Balls)
• Tinos Fennel Fritters
• Tomatokeftedes (Fried Santorini Tomato Balls / Tomato Fritters)

Vegan Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

(94 votes, average: 4.97 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 1 bowl
• Category: Dips
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This is my ultimate Vegan Tzatziki recipe! Deliciously creamy, refreshing and, best of all, even though its dairy-free, it tastes just like the original!

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Ingredients

• 1 tub of Oatly Oatgurt Greek Style Vegan Yogurt (or similar alternative)
• 1/2 large cucumber
• 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp chopped dill or mint (optional)
• 1 tbsp black olives

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Instructions

1. To prepare your vegan tzatziki start by pouring the vegan yoghurt in a large bowl.
2. Wash your cucumber, cut it in half and grate it using a box grater in a second bowl. You don’t need to peel it, just grate it whole. Using your hands, squeeze your cucumber shreds until all the water has come out. Place your dried out cucumber in the yoghurt bowl.
3. Then, peel your garlic cloves and using a garlic press squash them into your bowl.
4. Finally add your olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper and mix it together using a spoon. Taste your tzatziki and, if it feels bland, add some more salt, mix it and taste it again.
5. If you’re using any herbs add them now and using your spoon mix your vegan tzatziki again.
6. Finally top your vegan tzatziki off with some olives, some chopped up cucumber and a drizzle of olive oil.
7. Enjoy!

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Keywords: vegan tzatziki, vegan yogurt sauce, vegan tzatziki sauce, vegan yogurt and cucumber sauce

The post Vegan Tzatziki Sauce Recipe (dairy free) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So read along to discover my delicious recipe, tips and tricks to make them to perfection, step by step photos and how to store them and my delicious variations!

What are Greek olive oil cookies? 

Cookies made with oil and without butter or eggs? You shouldn’t miss out on these delicious treats! Greeks enjoy them in the lead up to Christmas, as well as those who practice fasting in preparation for Lent. 

The recipe is especially popular among the Greek Orthodox because it is vegan and does not require any dairy products which are avoided at certain times throughout the year, such as the Christmas and Easter Lent.

Finally, Koulourakia stands for Koulouri, which is a round and hollow cookie, shaped like a bagel. However, over time this phrase has come to mean any type of cookie! So feel free to experiment with shapes that you fancy! Round ones, braided ones, the world is your oyster! And of course, ladi means oil so its name literally means “made from oils”.

What you’ll need to make Greek Olive Oil Cookies the traditional way

I like to make these koulourakia with orange juice but if you want something with a stronger flavor, use a combination of orange juice and Metaxa brandy or cognac.

This really enhances the taste and makes the orange flavor so much more delicious. But for a non-alcoholic version, just stick with the orange juice.

On the olive oil front, I like going for light one. Extra virgin or unfiltered olive oils tend to have a more distinct and “strong” flavour. 

So depending on your taste, a strong olive oil may not be desirable! Therefore, opt for a light coloured, filtered olive oil to make sure your cookies taste just right!

Key Preparation Tips

When preparing your Greek olive oil vegan biscuits you’ll need to be mindful of the below three things, to make sure your cookies taste simply amazing!

• Zesting the orange
• Add the right amount of “spices”
• Dont over knead the dough

When zesting the orange, make sure you only get the orange part and not the white bit. This is very bitter and will spoil the taste of the cookies.

With the cloves, be very careful when measuring them and side on less than more. If you have too much, they are overpowering and will block out the delicious flavor of the orange.

Finally, don’t forget that oil based cookies are easy to over-knead, which would result in the dough splitting and the oil coming out from the dough. To prevent that, make sure you are very gentle with the kneading and stop when the dough comes together!

Making ahead of time and storing

It is definitely best to make these crispy and fragrant cookies and bake them on the same day. Due to the olive oil, the dough doesn’t really store well if unbaked. The oil tends to seep out of the dough if left standing for too long.

So only mix them up when you want to bake them for the best results. Once baked, they will store in a cookie jar or airtight container for at least 5 days.

Serving suggestions

These Olive oil cookies are a perfect match with coffee, especially Greek coffee. They also work well with most types of tea as well! And as they contain no butter or dairy products, they are the perfect lenten treat and ideal if you observe a vegan diet!

Can I substitute vegetable oil instead of olive oil?

Yes you can substitute olive oil with vegetable oil. However, your biscuits will loose out a little bit of their distinctive flavour. If you do want to use alternative oils and retain the cookie’s flavour at the same time, just substitute half of the olive oil with a light vegetable oil.

Using a blend of oils will keep the olive oil flavouring while being a bit more economical to prepare. So a win win for both your budget and the taste as well!

More recipes to try

Greek Olive Oil Cookies

(92 votes, average: 4.90 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 30 cookies
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

If you are looking for a classic Greek biscuit, then look no further than these Greek olive oil cookies or koulourakia ladiou. Cookies with olive oil are a little different from the usual chocolate or ginger but trust me, they will become your new favourite! 

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Ingredients

• 130g olive oil (4.6oz)
• 165g orange juice (or 140g orange juice and 35g Metaxa/ cognac) – 5.8 oz
• zest of 1 orange 
• 150g sugar (5.3 oz)
• 500g self rising flour (17.6 oz)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp ground clove 
• 1/3 tsp baking soda 
• 4 drops vanilla essence 
• 80g sesame seeds for coating (2.8 oz)

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Instructions

1. To prepare these olive oil cookies add in a large bowl the orange juice and baking soda. Whisk lightly using a fork until the baking soda dissolves and starts foaming.
2. In the same bowl add all the liquid ingredients (olive oil, vanilla extract and cognac, if using) and the sugar and beat with a hand whisk until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3. In another bowl add the dry ingredients: flour, salt, orange zest, ground cinnamon and clove. Mix with a spoon to combine. 
4. Add all the dry ingredients in the bowl with the liquid ingredients. Mix lightly with a spoon until all the ingredients incorporate. At the end use your hands to knead the dough softly until the flour is incorporated. Do not knead the dough too much because the oil will start to separate.
5. Preheat the oven at 170-180C fan (350F).
6. Divide the dough in 28-30 equal balls, approx. 30-35g / 1oz each.
7. Shape the cookies into braids or circles. 
8. Dredge the olive oil cookies in sesame seeds until covered on all sides.
9. Place the cookies on 2 baking trays lined with parchment paper.
10. Bake each tray for approx. 20-25 minutes until nicely coloured and cooked through. 
11. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek olive oil cookies, olive oil cookies, greek cookies, greek olive oil biscuits, olive oil biscuits

The post Greek Olive Oil Cookies (koulourakia ladiou) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

The tradition of  Greek Lazarakia bread (“Lazarus breads”)

Lazarakia (little Lazarus breads) are traditional Greek Easter breads eaten on Lazarus Saturday. They symbolise the resurrection of Lazarus and are shaped like a little man wrapped in a shroud, just like Lazarus is depicted. 

Lazarakia are made in Greece and Cyprus and are usually small, sweet breads with spices. Unlike Greek Easter bread (tsoureki) Lazarus breads are Lenten as they don’t contain any eggs or dairy products. 

Prepare the dough for the Lazarakia 

Lazarakia can be made with any kind of dough you like. For this recipe I used some spices, ground clove and cinnamon, to lift the flavour and added sugar. So the breads are on the sweet side and really aromatic from the spices.

If you can find some mahleb it would be great to add some too. It will give the Lazarakia breads a really unique aroma and flavour.

Tip: Ground clove is a powerful spice, so be careful not to add too much, as the dough will become bitter. 

Dry yeast is used as a leavening agent, but you could substitute with fresh yeast by just tripling the amount of the dry. Let the dough some time to rise until it doubles its size. Rising time varies greatly as it depends on the temperature of the environment. The warmer the environment the less time it will need to rise. 

If you have a stand mixer it will be really helpful to use it, but the dough for the Lazarakia could be also made by hand. It will just take some more effort  

How to shape Lazarakia breads

Traditionally Lazarakia are shaped to resemble a little man wrapped in a shroud, just like Lazarus is depicted. You could be creative and shape them as you like. This is the way I made them shown in the photos below. It’s really easy and you could get your little helpers shape them and have lots of fun.

To shape the Lazarakia breads you just need to pinch a bit of the dough and shape separately the hands and the body. Roll the dough into a string and then place under the body and fold in front so that the hands are crossed in front of the belly. Then place 2 whole cloves for the eyes and you are done!

It is also very common to stuff the Lazarus breads with nuts and dried fruits. So, if you like you could make a separate stuffing and stuff the Lazarakia with finely chopped walnuts and raisins. Or you could just add some raisins and roughly chopped walnuts in the dough at the end (before rising).

Other traditional Greek Easter recipes

If you are looking forward to make all the tradition Greek Easter recipes and celebrate with your loved ones, then these are my favourite ones for you to try: 

• Traditional Tsoureki recipe (Greek Easter Bread)
• Easy Tsoureki in a bread machine
• Koulourakia recipe (Greek Easter cookies)
• Cypriot Flaounes recipe 
• Dyed Easter eggs 
• Magiritsa (Greek Easter soup)
• Greek roast Lamb with potatoes

Lazarakia bread recipe (Greek Easter Lazarus breads)

(599 votes, average: 4.89 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 min (plus rise time)
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 20 lazarakia
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This Easter try out this aromatic little Lazarakia (Greek Lazarus breads) recipe and combine tradition with family cooking creating wonderful memories for your family!

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Ingredients

For the “prozymi” (Mixture 1)

• 350g lukewarm water (12.3 oz.)
• 8g dry yeast (0.3 oz.)
• 10g sugar (0.35 oz.)
• 70g all purpose flour (2.5 oz.)

For the dough

• 635g all purpose flour (22 oz.)
• 90g sugar (3.2 oz.)
• 1/2 tsp ground clove
• 2 tsps ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp mahleb powder (optional)
• 50g olive oil (1.8 oz.)
• 25g vegetable oil (0.9 oz.)
• 1 tbsp sugar dissolved in 50g/ 2 oz. water for coating
• 40 whole cloves for the eyes

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Lazarakia bread recipe start by adding all the ingredients from the “mixture 1” into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to allow the yeast to work.
2. In a separate bowl add the flour, spices, salt and sugar and mix with a spoon to combine. 
3. Add this mixture in the stand mixers bowl along the yeast mixture from step 1. Pour in the olive oil and vegetable oil. Use a dough hook to knead the dough until smooth and not sticky for about 10 minutes.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm environment for about 1 hour, until it doubles its size. 
5. Gently deflate the dough with your hands and separate the dough in 20 balls. Shape each ball like shown in the pictures. 
6. Dissolve the sugar in the water and brush the top of the breads. 
7. Bake in preheated oven at 160-170C for about 20 minutes until golden and cooked through. Enjoy!

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 little bread
• Calories: 184 kcal
• Sugar: 5.7g
• Sodium: 2mg
• Fat: 4g
• Saturated Fat: 1.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 33.2g
• Fiber: 1.2g
• Protein: 3.9g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: lazarakia bread, easter lazarus bread

The post Lazarakia bread recipe (Greek Easter Lazarus breads) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

The whole preparation of the recipe will last only 10 minutes (plus some extra time to cool the bars). It is a perfect vegetarian and vegan snack that will also be great for Lenten season.

Greek Honey sesame bars (Pasteli) ingredients

In this Greek Pasteli recipe I use sesame seeds and honey, which are the main ingredients. But feel free to experiment with different kind of nuts that you like, such as almonds and pistachios or even a mix of other nuts and sesame seeds.

I also add some lemon zest to give more flavour and freshness, but you could omit it all-together or replace it with orange zest. You could also try adding even a pinch (not too much) of ground cinnamon and/or clove. So try experimenting and find the combination that suits your taste better!

The main ingredient that is characteristic for Greek honey bars is honey. Honey gives Pasteli its unique texture and taste. It will be great if you could find some good quality Greek thyme honey! And also add a pinch of salt to lift the flavour. Regular salt will be ok, but using a pinch of Cretan sea salt blossom will be a wonderful addition.

How to caramelise the honey surup for your Greek Honey sesame bars (Pasteli)

Your honey needs to boil at the right temperature for the right amount of time in order for it to solidify and turn into caramel when cooled down. There are two ways to achieve this.

1. You can use a thermometer – when the boiling honey reaches 125C/260F the honey is ready and caramelised
2. Alternatively you can do it the traditional way without using a thermometer. Take a small teaspoon of honey – syrup and drip it in a bowl of cold water. After a few seconds, when it has cooled down, form it into a small ball. Take it out of the water and tap it on your work surface. If it sounds solid it is done!

So go ahead try out making your own Greek honey and sesame bars and don’t forget to sent us your comments and photos on the comment section below!

Greek Honey Sesame bars (Pasteli recipe)

(620 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 0 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 20 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Boiled
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

The ancient Greek version of a power bar is “Pasteli”! Greek honey sesame bars is a snack made from honey and sesame seeds in only 10 minutes!

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Ingredients

• 220g honey (7.5 oz.)
• 220g sesame seeds (7.5 oz.)
• a pinch of salt
• zest of 1 medium sized lemon

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Instructions

1. To prepare this Greek honey sesame bars (Pasteli) recipe start by toasting the sesame seeds. Place a frying pan over high heat and add the sesame seeds. Toast them for 2-3 minutes until golden (not too brown). Remove the sesame seeds from the pan and set aside. Continue with the rest of the recipe quickly, so that the sesame seeds remain hot. Alternatively you can spread the sesame seeds in a pan and toast them in the oven at 180-190C (375F).
2. In the same pan add the honey and bring to a boil, until it starts to foam. Remove the foam using a spatula, turn down the heat to medium and let it simmer until its temperature has reached 125C/260F. If you don’t have a thermometer, take a bowl of cold water and drip in a teaspoon of the honey syrup. Let it cool down for a few seconds then shape it into a small ball using your fingers. Take it out of the water and drop it on your work surface. If it sounds like it is solid, the honey syrup is done.
3. Its now time to add the remaining ingredients for your pasteli. Add a pinch of salt and the toasted sesame seeds and stir for about 10 minutes over medium heat, using a wooden spatula. The mixture should thicken considerably and stick to the spatula.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, add the lemon zest and stir.
5. Line a round pan (22cm/ 8.5 inch. diameter) with parchment paper and pour in the mixture. Be careful not to touch it, as it is very hot. Spread the mixture very well using a spoon.
6. Let the pasteli cool down for about 20 minutes and them cut into portions. If you let it cool completely then it would be harder to cut into pieces.

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Keywords: Greek honey sesame bars, Honey bar, Pasteli recipe

The post Greek Honey Sesame bars (Pasteli recipe) appeared first on My Greek Dish.