Classic and New Recipes
We have carefully chosen a few of the best - loved Greek recipes; traditional, healthy, low in fat and easy to make they will transform lunch, supper or dinner to a delightful Mediterranean experience.
1. Bean Soup
You need :
· ½ kilo of dry beans
· ½ kilo of tomatoes
· 2-3 carrots (chopped)
· 2 celery roots (chopped)
· 1 green pepper (chopped)
· salt – pepper
· 1 cup of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 1 tsp. of sugar
Soak the beans overnight in water. The following day change the water and boil the beans on medium heat for about ½ an hour. Add the onions, celery, tomatoes, sugar, green pepper, carrots and season to taste. Simmer for at least an hour and 10min. before the soup is ready add the olive oil and stir well.
2. Baked Butter Beans in Tomato Sauce
You need :
· ½ kilo of butter beans
· 1 large onion
· 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
· 1 bunch of parsley or dill (finely chopped)
· 1 jar of tomato sauce
· 1 tsp. of sugar
· 2 chopped carrots (optional)
· salt – pepper
· 1 cup of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Soak the butter beans overnight in water. The following day rinse and boil the beans in fresh water for ¾ of an hour. When ready transfer the boiled beans with their water in a baking pan and add the olive oil, tomato sauce, garlic, onions, carrots, parsley/dill, sugar. Season to taste and stir well. Add some more water to cover the beans. Bake in preheated oven for about an hour.
3. Chick-Peas Salad
You need :
· ½ kilo of chick-peas
· 1 small onion (cut in wedges)
· 4 tbsp. of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 2 tbsp. of Papadimitriou Balsamic Vinegar
· 1 tsp. of Papadimitriou Balsamon Mediterranean Mustard
· 1 tsp. of Ergastiri Thyme Honey from the Aegean Islands
Soak the peas overnight in water. The following day rinse well and boil in fresh water for about 1 ½ or more until the peas are soft and ready to eat. Strain the chick-peas and put them in a large bowl. Make a sauce by mixing the olive oil, vinegar, honey and mustard and pour it over the peas. Season to taste and stir well. You could optionally add roasted sliced vegetables such as yellow/red peppers, aubergines or courgettes as well as cubes of feta cheese or any other type of sheep cheese.
4. Strapatsada (Tomato Omelette)
You need :
· 1 jar of tomato sauce of your choice
· 4 beaten eggs
· salt – ground pepper
· 250g feta cheese (crushed)
Heat the tomato sauce in a frying pan until bubbles appear on top and then add the beaten eggs and stir well. Add the feta cheese, season to taste and keep stirring until the eggs are cooked.
5. Fried Eggs in Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 1 jar of tomato sauce of your choice
· 4 eggs
· salt – ground pepper
· 250g feta cheese (crushed)
Heat the tomato sauce in a frying pan until bubbles appear on top and then add the eggs and fry. Add the feta cheese on top of the eggs, season to taste.
6. Shrimps/ Mussels in Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 1 jar of tomato sauce of your choice
· ½ kilo of shrimps/ mussels
· 1 green/yellow/red pepper (sliced)
· 200g feta cheese (crushed)
· salt – pepper
Heat the tomato sauce in a frying pan until bubbles appear on top and then add the sliced pepper. Simmer until the pepper softens and then add the shrimps/mussels. Cook until ready and add the feta cheese. Stir well and season to taste.
7. Meatballs with Green Olives in Tomato Sauce
You need :
· ½ kilo of minced meat
· cloves of garlic (crushed)
· 1 cup of bread crumbles
· half of a bunch of fresh spear mint (finely chopped)
· salt, pepper
· 3 – 4 tbsps of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
and for the sauce :
· 1 cup of green olives
· 1 jar of tomato sauce of your choice
Mix the minced meat with the garlic, the bread crumbs, the mint, the olive oil and a bit of water and season to taste. Make the meatballs and fry them in extra virgin olive oil.
Boil the olives for 3min and drain them. Heat the tomato sauce in a pan until bubbles appear on top and add the olives. Stir well and simmer for 10min. Add the meatballs in the sauce and cook for another 5min.
8. Aubergines with Feta Cheese in Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 2 jars of your favourite tomato sauce
· 4 sliced aubergines (or more depending on how big is your baking pan, as you need to make two layers)
· salt
· 200g feta cheese (crushed)
Rinse the aubergines, dry them add the salt and let them in a bowl for about 15min to soften and loose their bitterness. Then fry them (for about 5min each side) in hot extra virgin olive oil. Alternatively, you can bake them in preheated oven with a bit of extra virgin olive oil for about 15min at 180C until they soften. When ready, put them on a plate on kitchen paper (it absorbs part of the olive oil).
Grease a baking pan with olive oil, put a layer of the sliced aubergines, a layer of tomato sauce and a layer of feta cheese. Repeat (another layer of aubergines, sauce, feta; you can make three or four layers if you find the two not enough but don’t forget you need more ingredients). Cook in preheated oven in 180C for about 35 – 40 min.
9. Okra in Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 1 kilo fresh okra
· 1 small onion (chopped)
· 1 jar of tomato sauce
· a few drops of white wine vinegar
· 3 tbsps of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sprinkle the okra with a few drops of white wine vinegar and put in a baking pan. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 15min. At the same time put the extra virgin olive oil and the onion in a pot and simmer until the onion becomes gold, not brown. Add the semi baked okra, the tomato sauce and a bit of warm water (about half cup) in the pot and cook until the okra is soft. Season to taste. Serve warm with feta cheese.
At the same time put the extra virgin olive oil and the onion in a pot and simmer until the onion becomes gold, not brown. Add the semi baked okra, the tomato sauce and a bit of warm water (about half cup) in the pot and cook until the okra is soft. Season to taste. Serve warm with
Please note : you can optionally add chopped aubergines in the okra. Besides you can cook fresh beans exactly the same way. Only you do not need to bake them in the oven first. You put them straight in the pot, add a glass of warm water and cook for at least an hour and a half at 180C, because the beans are usually harder.
10. Roasted Vegetables in Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 1 jar of tomato sauce
· 4 medium potatoes (cut in pieces)
· 3 courgettes (cut in rounds)
· 1 medium aubergine (cut in wedges)
· 1 green pepper (diced)
· 1 large onion (finely chopped)
· 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
· 1 cup Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 1 bunch of parsley (chopped)
· dry spearmint or half bunch fresh spearmint
· dry oregano
· a few basil leaves or dry basil
In a big baking pan put the potatoes, the courgettes, the aubergine, the green pepper, the onion, the garlic, the tomato sauce and mix well. Add the olive oil, the herbs, season to taste and poor warm water in the baking pan until it almost covers the vegetables. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 1 ½ hour, depending on how quickly the vegetables will cook and the tomato sauce will thicken. Serve warm with tzatziki and bread.
11. Traditional Kritharaki (Orzo Pasta) / Hylopitaki Pasta
Veal/Lamb with kritharaki/hylopiyaki in Tomato Sauce (Yiouvetsi)
You need :
· 1 kilo of lamb/ veal (cut in chunks)
· ½ kilo of kritharaki/ hylopitaki
· ½ kilo of ripe, chopped fresh tomatoes
· 1tsp. of sugar
· 1 large onion (chopped)
· 1 stick of cinnamon
· 2 – 3 cloves
· salt – pepper
Rinse the meat well and brown it in a pot with the olive oil and the chopped onion. Add the pepper, tomatoes, sugar, salt, spices and a bit of water to make a lot of sauce. Cook on medium heat for about 1 ½ hour. When the meat is cooked and the red sauce has thickened add some more water (a full glass) and the pasta in the meat sauce and cook the pasta until ready. If it too stiff add some more water and stir well. Serve with grated cheese and ground pepper on top.
12. Spaghetti Bolognese with Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 1 jar tomato sauce
· spaghetti
· mincemeat
· fresh basil
Boil the spaghetti & put in a frying pan. Pour some Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a frying pan & add the mincemeat & simmer for about 4 – 5min. Add in the tomato sauce & mix together for about 3 – 4min. Garnish with some fresh basil. Serve with grated parmesan or any cheese of your liking
Of course the vegetarian version would be without the mincemeat.
13. Penne with prawns & Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 1 jar tomato sauce
· penne
· prawns
Boil the Penne. Saute the prawns in a frying pan for about 3 – 4 minutes & then add the drained pasta
Mix together for about 2 – 3min.
14. Greek Tapas!
You need :
· 1 jar tomato sauce
· Greek feta chees
· fresh baguette
Pour some tomato sauce in a frying pan
Cut some Greek feta cheese into cubes & add to the sauce. Simmer for 3 – 4min. Cut the fresh baguettes into slices. Put a spoon full of the mix on each slice & put in the oven for 5min.
15. Aubergines mincemeat slices
You need :
· 1 jar tomato sauce
· aubergines
· slices onions
· mince meat (any kind)
· grated Parmesan cheese
Slice the aubergines. Pour some Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a frying pan & add the onions. Add in the mince meat & mix altogether for about 7 – 8min. Blanch the aubergines in boiling water for 1 minute. Place the aubergine slices onto a oven pan & pour the mincemeat over each slice Sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese over each slice & put into the oven at 200C for 5 – 6 min.
16. Prawns Saganaki with Tomato Sauce
You need :
· 1 jar tomato sauce
· prawns
· feta cheese, cut into cubes
· ouzo
This dish can be made with peeled, prawn, already boiled prawns, shell prawn. According to which you prefer, the prawn have to be boiled before starting.
Pour some Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a frying pan & add the prawns, simmer for 3 – 4min.
Add the feta cubes. Pour in the tomato sauce & stir together for about 3min. Pour in some ouzo & turn off the heat. Pour the content of the frying pan into an oven pan, preferably a deep pan. Leave in the oven at 200C for 6 – 7min.
17. Pork Chops
You need :
· 1 jar of tomato sauce
· pork chops
· slices onions
· sliced mushrooms
Pour some Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a frying pan. Add in the slices onions & sauté for 3 – 4min. Add the chops & fry on each side for 3 – 4min. Mix in the mushrooms & mix together for about 3 – 4min minute. Pour in the sauce & simmer for 2 – 3min.
You can also pan fry instead of frying with olive oil.
18. Traditional Cretan Rusks
Important : in order to eat any type of rusks apart from the sweet ones you need to soak them first in water so that they become much softer.
18.1 Cretan Dakos (Appetizer)
You need :
· soaked rusk
· 1tbsp of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· crushed feta cheese
· ½ of a chopped tomato
· dry oregano
· salt pepper
Add on top of the soaked rusk the chopped tomato and season to taste. Then add on top of the tomato the feta cheese and sprinkle with the olive oil and the oregano. One rusk won’t be enough!!
18.2 Cretan Dakos with Olives
You need :
· 1 soaked rusk
· 1tbsp of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 5 – 6 pitted olives (your favourite ones!!)
· dry oregano
· salt
Drizzle the rusk with the olive oil. Put the pitted olives on top (chopped) and sprinkle with the dry oregano.
19. Ergastiri Thyme Honey from the Aegean Islands
19.1 Greek Strained Yoghurt with Ergastiri Thyme Honey
Enjoy the unique Greek Thyme Honey from the Aegean Islands and all the range of the Honey Desserts of The Greek Delicatessen with Greek strained yoghurt. This glorious light dessert could be enriched with walnuts and dry plums.
19.2 Ergastiri Thyme Honey can also be enjoyed in tea instead of sugar.
19.3 Honey on bread
Honey is superb on a slice of buttered bread or on a slice of bread with yellow cheese like cheddar, gouda or gruyere.
20. Spoon Desserts
We call them spoon desserts because theGreeks usually eat them straight from the jar using a teaspoon. They are as healthy a dessert can be because they are low in fat, as they made of fruits and sugar. The Mediterranean land gives a wide range of fruit so the variety of these preserves is huge.
Spoon Desserts are a fantastic, "light" idea after the main course of dinner or lunch. Enjoy the wide range of the Greek Spoon Desserts, healthy desserts made only of fruit such as quince, sour cherry, lemon, orange, bitter orange, chestnut and sugar:
· With Greek Strained Yoghurt (fantastic light dessert!!)
· As an alternative to jam or marmalade over a slice of bread
· Over a cheese cake instead of jam/ marmalade
· With vanilla ice cream!!!
21. Olives. Meat Stew with Olives
You need :
· 1 kg meat of your choice
· ½ cup of Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 1 large onion (chopped)
· 4 ripe fresh tomatoes (grated)
· 1 cup of white wine
· 2 tbsps of Papadimitriou Balsamic Vinegar
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 2 bay leaves
· 200g green olives (pitted)
· salt – pepper
Boil the olives for 5min and drain them. Leave aside. Rinse the meat, cut it in chunks and brown it in a pan with the olive oil and the onions for about 10min. Add the wine and the vinegar and then add the tomatoes, cinnamon, bay leaves and a cup of water. Simmer for about an hour and then add the olives. Keep cooking for another 15min.
22. Salad Heaven. Salads with Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
22.1 Traditional Greek Salad ("Horiatiki")
You need :
· 2 big tomatoes (preferably organic) cut in wedges
· 1 cucumber, peeled, cut in rounds
· 1 green pepper cut in rings
· 1 onion cut in rings
· 100g feta cheese
· a few black or green olives
· dry oregano (to taste)
· 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (optional)
· 5 - 6 tablespoons Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or more according to taste)
Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, pepper and feta cheese in a large bowl. Add the olives. Make a dressing with the olive oil and the vinegar and poor it on the salad. Sprinkle with oregano and season to taste. Serve cool.
22.2 Courgette Salad
You need :
· 1 kilo fresh courgettes (small)
· 5 - 6 tablespoons Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 2 - 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
· 1 dash of Papadimitriou Balsamon Mediterranean Mustard
· 100g feta cheese (crushed or cut in cubes)
· dry oregano
Boil the zucchini for about 10 - 15min. at 180C until they become soft. Cut them in rounds, put them in a large bowl and add the feta cheese. Make a dressing with the olive oil, the vinegar and the mustard. Poor the dressing on the salad and sprinkle with dry oregano. Season to taste. Serve warm.
Please note : you can cook the same way artichokes or beetroots. In the beetroot salad you need to boil the beetroots much longer, about an hour and leave out the feta cheese and the oregano.
22.3 Politiki Salad (made in Constantinople)
You need :
· a quarter of a cabbage (fresh and raw, finely chopped in stripes)
· 2 - 3 carrots (grated)
· 1 celery (cut in fine wedges)
· 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
· 1 red pepper (diced)
· 5 - 6 tablespoons Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
· 1 dash of Papadimitriou Balsamon Mediterranean Mustard
In a large bowl put the finely chopped cabbage, the grated carrots, the diced red pepper and the cut celery. Make a dressing with the olive oil, the vinegar, the mustard and the garlic and poor on the salad. Season to taste. Serve cool.
22.4 Lettuce Salad
You need :
· 1 lettuce (chopped in stripes)
· 2 - 3 fresh spring onions (chopped)
· 1 small bunch of fresh dill (chopped)
· a few black or green olives
· 2 - 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
· 5 - 6 tablespoons Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 1 dash of Papadimitriou Balsamon Mediterranean Mustard
In a large bowl put the chopped lettuce, spring onions, dill and add the olives. Mix well. Make a dressing with the olive oil, the vinegar and the mustard and poor on the salad. Mix well again. Season to taste. Alternatively to olives you can add pomegranate seeds.
22.5 Potato Salad
You need :
· 4 medium boiled potatoes (diced or cut in big pieces)
· 1 large red onion (cut in fine wedges)
· 1 bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
· 3 organic boiled eggs (hard, cut in pieces)
· 2 - 3 tablespoons capers
· 5 - 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
· 2 - 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
· 1 dash of mustard
· dry oregano
In a large bowl put the diced boiled potatoes, the eggs, the onion, the cappers and the parsley and mix well. Make a dressing with the olive oil, the vinegar and the mustard and poor it on the salad. Sprinkle with dry oregano and season to taste.
Please note : You can enrich the potato salad by adding optionally anchovies or baked and peeled red and yellow peppers or tuna fish (from the tin).
23. Potatoes
23.1 Traditional Greek Oven baked potatoes
You need :
· 1 kilo potatoes (cut in big pieces)
· 1 cup beef or chicken stock
· 1 cup Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· half cup lemon juice
· dry oregano
· 2 tablespoons Ergastiri Thyme Honey
Put the potatoes in a baking pan; add the stock, the olive oil, the oregano, the lemon juice and poor warm water in the pan until it covers the potatoes. Season to taste. Add the honey in the end in order to dissolve. Cook in preheated oven at 180C for about 2 hours until they become soft and sweet and they absorb all the water (the sauce in the pan must have no water at all). In the mean time you may need to add some more lemon if you want. Serve warm as a side dish to any kind of meat.
23.2 Potatoes with dessert red wine and coriander
You need :
· 1 kilo potatoes (cut in big pieces)
· 1 cup Latzimas Extra Virgin Olive Oil
· 1 cup dessert red wine
· 2 tablespoons dry coriander (powder)
Put the potatoes in a baking pan; add the olive oil, the wine, and the coriander and poor warm water in the pan until it covers the potatoes. Season to taste and bake in preheated oven at 180C, for about two hours until they potatoes become soft and sweet and absorb all the water (the sauce in the pan must have no water at all).
