Copyright © 20082017 by Maria Nicholas, Paint Pot Press, LLC All Rights Reserved This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form Yiayia’s Favorite without written permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews. Greek Recipes Inquiries regarding permission for use of the material contained in this book should be addressed to the publisher: Paint Pot Press, LLC Treasured family recipes passed 551310645 E. N. Paradise Tatum Blvd.Dr. down through the generations Scottsdale,Suite 200-288 Arizona 85254 from all parts of Greece, USAPhoenix, Arizona 85028 its villages and islands Telephone:USA 480.688.0285 Telephone: 480.948.4496, Fax: 480.948.3788 by Web: www.CookingWithYiayia.com Email: [email protected] Maria Nicholas Yiayia’s Favorite Greek Recipes™ First Edition Cooking With Yiayia™ Paint Pot Press™ Are all trademarks of Paint Pot Press, LLC ISBN – 978-0-9762229-1-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2008926957 Paint Pot Press, LLC Printed in United States of America Scottsdale,Phoenix, ArizonaArizona USAUSA 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 What people are saying… “Maria is a fabulous cook and wonderful hostess. Eating a meal by Maria is like eating at a five star restaurant with an at home touch. I am thrilled to have this cook book to share her collection of delicious recipes, especially her scrumptious koulourakia. Maria’s cook book is one that I will use over and over again.” Nikki Felipe Phoenix, Arizona “We have the good fortune of being neighbors of Maria Nicholas, a wonderful cook who is sharing in this book her inheritance from her mother’s cooking. While testing each recipe Maria has adjusted the instructions to conform to contemporary American cooking terms and efficient methods. It was always a thrill when Maria appeared at our door with a generous sample of one of her dishes. How do you say, ‘delicious’ in Greek? We can’t wait to share this beautiful book with friends and family in Connecticut and Ohio.” Mary Lou Bolton Cincinnati, Ohio/Scottsdale, Arizona “Are you kidding? All we talk about is Maria’s cooking and how much we enjoy it!” Mary Diaconis Oceanside, New York “I’ve had the pleasure of cooking with Maria and it was also quite a good eating experience.” Ann Lakes Penn Hills, Pennsylvania “These recipes are gifts from Maria because they are infused with her love of family, spiced with generations of Greek tradition and refined by her artistic flavor. Following her culinary spirit will lead you to the ultimate gourmet experience.” Elizabeth MacDonald Lloyd Harbor, New York “I grew up in a traditional Greek home and Maria’s recipes are wonderful, they remind me of my aria Nicholas has had a life long love of Greek Recognition came in 2005 when daughter Kristin, living in sweet little Yiayia’s delicious cooking…Maria has brought many memories back to me…Thank you cooking. Some of her earliest memories, growing up Los Angeles, requested her to be the food consultant for Maria!” in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, are of family gathered the Greek Cooking episode on the cable TV program, The Laura Greenberg Maround the dinner table. Her mother, Demetra, who came to World at Your Table on the Fine Living Network. Maria Phoenix, Arizona America during the 1930s from the small village of Arfara, then coached Kristin on how to demonstrate many of her Greece (near Kalamata) was a major infl uence. While most kids wonderful Greek recipes on the program. Then in 2006 “I have known Maria for 17 of my 93 years and I can say from my experience of her cooking, it is the were enjoying hotdogs and hamburgers, Maria was learning to she was invited to demonstrate her signature recipe for best I ever had. I especially enjoy the Easter Lamb Soup, the flavor is exquisite. When Maria brings cook avgolemano and baklava. In her words, “The dinner table avgolemano soup on the Phoenix local TV program “Momʼs me a Sweet Bread, I hide it and eat it all myself, sometimes almost all at one time. I can’t stop eating it. is what brought everyone together and it was the wonderful food Best Recipes.” The Greek Shortbread (Koulourakia) cookies are delicious with coffee. I have come to love Maria’s that kept us there.” Greek cooking.” It was at the insistence of family and friends, who had all Edith Solomon During her fi rst trip to Greece in 1961 Maria began perfecting enjoyed the delights of her cooking, to write a cookbook Scottsdale, Arizona her knowledge of Greek cooking to the joy of her family. As to preserve and pass along her wonderful collection of the years passed she became a yiayia (grandmother). Her Greek recipes. grandchildren, to this day, request her special egg-lemon-chicken rice soup (avgolemano), especially when they need a little TLC. As Maria explained, “It was a labor of love.” CONTENTS Page Appetizers & Sauces......................................................1 Appetizers & Sauces Breads .............................................................................. 23 Page Stuffed Grapevine Leaves ~ Dolmathakia.......................................................... 3 Soups & Salads ............................................................35 Spinach Rolls ~ Spanakopitakia ......................................................................... 4 Triangle Cheese Puffs ~ Tiropitakia ................................................................... 5 Seafood .............................................................................. 51 Cocktail Meatballs ~ Keftethakia ........................................................................ 7 Fried Squid ~ Kalamarakia Tiganita .................................................................... 8 Poultry.............................................................................. 63 Fried Octopus ~ Ohtapothi Tiganito.................................................................... 9 Myzithra Cheese Turnovers ~ Myzithropitakia................................................. 11 Fried Cheese ~ Saganaki .................................................................................. 12 Meats ................................................................................73 Cucumber Feta Appetizer ~ Angouraki me Feta Orehtiko ............................... 13 Lemon Cream Sauce ~ Crema Lemone ........................................................... 15 Vegetables, Pasta, Rice, Eggs....................................95 Garlic Dip & Spread ~ Skorthalia...................................................................... 16 Greek Caviar Dip & Spread ~Taramosalata ..................................................... 17 Pastries & Sweets....................................................... 131 Black Eyed Pea Dip & Spread ~ Fava.............................................................. 18 Cucumber Sauce ~ Tzatziki Sauce................................................................... 19 Glossary......................................................................... 167 Mayonnaise ~ Maioneza .................................................................................. 20 Greek Style Tomato Sauce ~ Saltsa Ntomata ................................................. 21 Diagrams...................................................................... 169 Index................................................................................171 Dolmathakia STUFFED GRAPEVINE LEAVES These are delightful meatless appetizers. With meat they are a wonderful compliment to any Greek meal. Stuffed Grapevine Leaves Dolmathakia INGREDIENTS PROCESS 2 pounds white onions, 1. Parboil onions in ½ cup water until translucent. Add garlic and minced oil and sauté until golden, add parsley, mint and dill. Sauté� all for 1 cup olive oil 10 minutes. Add rice and 1 cup of water, juice of one lemon, salt 1 cup fresh dill, minced and pepper. Cook until liquid is gone. Let mixture cool. (If using ½ cup parsley minced meat it can be added at this point.) 1½ cups long grain rice ½ cup water 2. If using fresh leaves, blanch until soft and pliable. If using ½ cup fresh mint minced canned leaves, rinse thoroughly, pat dry and proceed. Place a 2 cloves garlic minced small amount of filling on back side of leaf (vein side) in center, Fresh ground pepper fold in sides and roll as shown in diagram on page 170. Salt to taste 2 large lemons 3. Using a large stock pot, line bottom with grape leaves. (Torn or 75 to 80 grape leaves or two odd size leaves can be set aside and used for this purpose.) Spinach Rolls jars canned grape leaves Place stuffed grape leaves in neat tight circle rows around the bottom of the pot and layer until all stuffed leaves are in pot. Spanakopitakia OPTIONAL Cover rolls with a layer of leaves. Slice lemon skin with potato peeler and place on top layer of rolls. Cover with an inverted 1 pound ground meat plate to hold rolls together while cooking. Mix juice of remaining lemon with enough water to just come to top of plate and cover COOK’S TIPS rolls. If you want a meat filling, combine it with herb rice 4. Simmer at a low heat for approximately one hour until liquid is mixture after it has completed absorbed. Do not stir or shake pot. Remove from heat; let cool cooking and cooled. Mix overnight at room temperature before removing rolls from pot. thoroughly and proceed. Serve These can be served cold. If warm is desired they are best served meat filled dolmathikia warm with lemon cream sauce (see recipe for sauce in Appetizers & with lemon cream sauce. Sauces). Triangle Cheese Puffs Tiropitakia Copyright