a perfect loaf of traditional Greek eliopsomo / olive bread
Eliopsomo (eeleeOPsomo), traditional Greek olive bread, combines two of my forever-favorites into one – bread and olives 🙂
This no-knead, slow-rise, authentically vegan recipe takes five of the most basic ingredients and turns them into heaven. In an effort to reproduce an authentic Greek bread baking method using clay covered bakers, I use a Continue Reading →
Greek pita bread perfection!
Simple and quick with just a 30 min rise, you’ll love making your own pita bread! Once you do, store-bought will never taste the same 🙂
This recipe makes 8 pitas about 6-8″ in diameter so a good size. Â They can easily be rolled out smaller or larger to fit your purposes. Â Just make sure your pan fits your pita!
Remember, in case you’re not familiar with Greek pita bread, these do not open into a pocket like Middle Eastern or Syrian bread. These pita are meant to be wrapped around a filling or, and probably my favorite way, Continue Reading →
saragli (rolled) baklava
Saragli (accent on last syllable) or rolled baklava is a style of baklava that come from the Greeks of Constantinople. This recipe calls for the traditional Greek walnut filling but feel free to use the chopped nuts of your choice. You will go NUTS over these 🙂 🙂
Super simple to roll – a half inch diameter wooden or metal dowel is perfect for rolling your saragli. Just be careful not to roll too tightly as a light touch works best here. And try scoring your rolls on a diagonal, that way the cut pieces have a little more visual interest when plated as above. If you cut each roll approx 4 times you’ll get 4 perfect pieces and 2 end pieces. Growing up, the end pieces always went to us kids because they’re not quite as pretty but no worries – they’re every bit as tasty!
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Sfakian Sweet Rusks – paximadia
My aunt would make this sweet bread (artos) for Great Vespers services when we were young. Five loaves would go to church and one small loaf stayed at home for us.  She would slice up the small home loaf and toast the slices in the oven until dried through and super crunchy.  Then we’d slather them with Merenda (Greek hazelnut spread similar to Nutella) and very happily munch through every slice!
You can enjoy these sweet rusks today, store bought and straight from Greece, or make your own – a wonderful rainy Saturday recipe! These sweet rusks are delicious on their own with a hot cup of coffee or topped with your favorite jam or Greek honey and the perfect afternoon snack. Traditionally from region of Sfakia on the island of Crete but enjoyed throughout Greece and the Greek diaspora, you will fall in love with this authentic, simple Continue Reading →
nistisima kourambiedes – sugar covered cookies
These snowy white, crazy yummy cookies are so quick and easy to bake up, they’ll amaze you with every bite! This recipe is for the nistisima (or vegan) version of kourambiedes, slightly different but just as authentic as the more well known butter cookie version.
Made with a combination of almond meal and flour, orange juice and a bit of brandy, the finished cookies are light and high and just ever so slightly crumbly. Kourambiedes are a cup of coffee ad tea’s best Continue Reading →
caramelized leek and onion filling in light, flaky olive oil tart
Golden brown, savory sweet caramelized leeks and onions piled on top of a flaky, delicate olive oil crust – in every way, awesomeness. This extremely versatile leek and onion pie is delicious for weekday dinner, on the go lunch and is fantastic for parties. Make it as a single pie or individual tarts and even make days ahead. You’ve got a winner here.
Of all our Yiayia’s pitas this was my favorite. Usually she made pitas wrapped in either store bought or more often home made horiatiko filo dough and some were even wrapped in bread dough but her leek and onion pie was special. Baked in a light, flaky butterless, eggless perfect pie crust – these were always a treat. Since Yiayia passed away, I’ve tried so many times to recreate this incredible crust with little success……. UNTIL NOW!!!!! Continue Reading →
apricot almond cake
The sunshiny sweetness of fresh apricots is baked into every bite of this amazing cake! Just the thing with coffee or tea, its another wonderful recipe that incorporates the tradition of Greek baked fruits. This light, delicious cake showcases fresh apricots that are baked to sticky sweet golden perfection. Every time I make cakes like these, I always feel like attending baking classes would be something I would love to do. I want to know how to make so many other things too. I’ve heard that there is this top-notch baking school in Delhi which people go to if they are looking to start their own bakery business. I’ll have a look at ones near me though, as I would be interested in attending any sort of cooking class.
Anyway, when it comes to making this cake, you’ll end up eating quite a few fresh or baked apricots just on their own Continue Reading →
tahinopita / sesame cream cake
Tahinopita (ταχινόπιτα) or sesame cream cake is a delicate, traditional treat for Lenten periods of the year in Greece.  This cake bakes up light and high with walnuts and golden raisins, dusted with a bit of powdered sugar.
Perfect for breakfast with coffee or tea, tahinopita is equally delicious for an afternoon snack or tucked in a lunchbox. Its just ever so slightly crumbly and cuts neatly into slices that Continue Reading →
light, moist, traditional Greek vegan apple cake!
Milopita (Μηλόπιτα) or apple cake is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast in Greece. So moist, chock full of sweet, juicy apples and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, milopita is a delicate breakfast or dessert that will become a fast favorite in your house!
This simple to bake recipe is a great way to use up apples that might be a little too bruised or old to eat on their own. And you can choose to mix in chopped walnuts or golden raisins for an apple cake with even more Continue Reading →
