greek cuisine - Meatballs (Keftedakia)

Meatballs (Keftedakia)

What you will need:

1. 2 slices bread, trimmed
2. 1/4 cup ouzo
3. 2 tablespoons olive oil
4. 1 small onion, diced
5. 1 pound ground beef
6. 1 egg
7. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
8. 1 clove garlic, minced
9. 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
10. Black pepper
11. 1 cup flour
12. 1/4 cup oil

Preperation:

Soak the bread in the ouzo for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute the onions for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Add the ground beef, egg, mint, garlic, and oregano. Season with black pepper. Mix well.
Shape meat mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the flour lightly. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Add 1/4 cup of oil to the skillet and heat over high heat. Cook one layer of meatballs for 8 to 10 minutes, browning on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a platter and repeat.

Souvlaki - The Greek Hamburger

SOUVLAKI"





Ingredients:

1. 1 kg/2 lb of pork meat, cut in cubes with 1 inch (2।5cm) sides


2. 6 Pita breads


3. Juice of 4 lemons


4. Salt, pepper and oregano seasoning


5. 6 wooden skewers


6. Tzaziki (see above)


7. Tomatoes


8. Onion
   
   
   

Preparation:

Put the pork meat in the wooden skewers, salt and pepper them। Cook over a barbecue fire,on a skilet or under an oven grill. In the meantime, spread some oil on the pitas and place under the oven grill, browing slightly each side, but not drying them. When the meat is done, dip them in a long glass containing the lemon juice and then holding a pita bread in one hand empty the skewer contents in it removing the skewer. Sprinkle with oregano and salt, add tzaziki,tomatoes,onion, and the souvlaki is ready.

How to make Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a cucumber yogurt sauce which can also be served as an appetizer or dip. it goes great over gyros souvlaki or simply all by itself.



Steps:

1. Gather together the ingredients listed below.
2. Peel cucumbers and slice long wise.
3. Using a spoon, remove all the cucumbers seeds.
4. Shred cucumber and drain with sieve to remove excess liquid.
5. Remove outer skin from garlic, separate into cloves and peel.
6. Using sieve with a coffee filter, drain yogurt for about 15 minutes for each coffee filter full.(You will get about 1/2 container of yogurt in a coffee filter)
7. Place together in a large stainless steel mixing bowl: shredded cucumber, drained yogurt, salt, pepper and olive oil.
8. Juise lemons and add to mixture.
9. Press garlic cloves over the mixture making sure to inclube all the garlic juises.
10. Beat mixture with a whisk or large spoon until all ingredients are totally mixed.
11. Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 to 3 hours before serving. This gives the garlic a chance to really unleash it's flavor.

Good Luck

Panagiotis

Greek Cuisine

Hello! my name is Panagiotis lover of "greek cuisine".

Think greek, and your mouth positively waters: all those wonderful and diverse flavours, served individually or combined so skilfully in a cuisine that is good for your heart, body and soul. From mountainous and harsh terrain that covers most of mainland Greece and its islands, a flavoursome diet has developed, centred on vegetables and other fresh ingredients, and with quality seasonal produse at its heart. Greek food is healthy: it's the classic mediterranean diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, with a little meat and fish, olives and olive oil, home-made bread, and home-produced cheeses. The olive is the backbone of this healthy diet, adding richness and developing the flavours of the simplest of ingredients; it is grown almost everywhere and processed into the finest extra virgin olive oil in the word. Indeed, butter is never eaten in most parts of Greece. Lemons, too, grow all over the country and give that quintessentially Greek flavour to many dishes. A plethora of wild leaves grow throughout most of the year and feature prominently in the diet, eaten every day in salads, lightly cooked as a vegetable or as a filling for pies.