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Revithosoupa / Greek Chickpea Soup

creamy, golden, delicious revithosoupa - traditionally vegan Greek chickpea soup

creamy, golden, delicious revithosoupa – traditionally vegan Greek chickpea soup

Revithosoupa / ρεβιθόσουπα is one of my very favorite meals. It’s ready in a quick hour and a half and is a staple of traditional Greek home cooks everywhere. And seriously, every time I make this dish the delicate, creamy broth amazes me with each spoonful!

Simply prepared with simple ingredients, revithosoupa – accent on the THO –  is a hearty, healthy dish that will warm you through. And this delicious (gluten free!) authentic chickpea soup with carrots, celery, sage and thyme cooks up all in one pot for easy cleanup! Continue Reading →

Olive Spread / Pasta Elias (πάστα ελιάς)

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Chunky, meaty, salty olives with sweet fig jam, nutty garlic, tangy vinegar and a bit of licorice fennel – there are so many flavors going on here you will go crazy for this authentic olive spread!

Olives, roasted garlic and fig jam are the three musketeers of this traditional favorite Greek olive spread, pasta elias (????? ?????) . You can find everything you need at your local market’s antipasto bar and assemble at home or do it all on your own. Either way, this recipe is super quick and easy to make and cooking with olive oil makes it INSANELY delicious Continue Reading →

Greek Peas / Arakas Kokinistos

Greek peas with tomato and dill

Greek peas with tomato and dill

Plump, sweet little green peas swimming around in a sauce of tomatoey, dill goodness – how good does that sound? Add a piece of crusty or grilled bread to help sop up all the crazy yummy soupy extra and you’ve got yourself one of the tastiest and simplest meals in Greek cooking.

Greek peas are phenomenal and hands down our absolute favorite way to enjoy peas. They’re perfection right off the stove and even a bit better than that a day or two later!  This dish is infinitely scalable and very easy to reheat. In Greece a big bowl of arakas kokinistos is often enjoyed as a meal in itself and Greek peas are also an amazing side dish to Continue Reading →

Carrot Keftedes

carrot keftedes with lahanosalata/cabbage salad

carrot keftedes with lahanosalata/cabbage salad

Keftedes are probably one of my favorite kinds of food – crispy outside, light oh-so-flavorful inside small fried (or baked) fritters of yumminess.  You can make them with all sorts of ingredients from meat to just about any vegetable.  I happen to love carrot keftedes best!

Roasting the carrots in this recipe really intensifies their flavor and sweetness and though many vegetable keftedes are made with eggs or cheese, they’re not missed in this traditional vegan (or Lenten) version. And carrot keftedes are a great way to use up stored winter carrots as well as older, less pretty carrots too. Continue Reading →

Lagana Bread (λαγάνα)

lagana with rosemary olive oil

lagana with rosemary olive oil

There’s nothing like the aroma of fresh baking bread as it fills the house.  My great uncle would always tell us that during times of famine you could fill half of your hunger with the smell of baking bread even before eating it.

Lagana is a traditional flatbread usually baked for Clean Monday (Καθαρά Δευτέρα) or Kathara Defthera, the first day of Great Lent before Easter. For those fasting most strictly, lagana is made without oil.  For those less strict, olive oil is used and never any dairy products.  Sesame seeds are the most common topping and often fresh or dried herbs are added for Continue Reading →

Potato Salad with Leeks and Dill

the perfect summer afternoon lunch!

the perfect lunch or light dinner!

Just four ingredients in this quick, simple, full of flavor summer salad – sautéed leek,  fresh dill, olive oil and potato.  A squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a turn of fresh ground black pepper and I’m in heaven!

Leeks are used everywhere in Greek cooking and you’ll find them in everything from pies to soups to salads. In this recipe, the mild, gently sautéed leeks complement the potatoes without overwhelming them as onions sometimes do in potato salad. You’ll notice the difference immediately. Leeks can be Continue Reading →

Skordalia with Roasted Garlic

Skordalia with Roasted Peppers and Olives

How delicious does this look? Skordalia is found in almost every Greek household, made with just a few common ingredients and so good. It’s such a versatile dish you’ll find yourself spreading it on sandwiches, veggies or just tucking into a big bowlful with crusty bread.

Many years ago, because skordalia is traditionally made with raw garlic (recipe for traditional version here), my father had to make some adjustments to this dish before our young and Americanized palates would tolerate it. By simply substituting roasted garlic for raw, he retained much of the healthy goodness and original ingredients but with a much more subtle garlic flavor. Continue Reading →

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