Greek kitchen
Greeks love food, both preparation and consumption and giving it to others. Visiting Greece we can be sure that we will never be hungry. Greek cuisine combines many flavors and aromas. It is very simple and uses fresh ingredients such as seafood, eggplants, tomatoes, olive oil and cheese. We present some of the most popular Greek dishes.
Feta cheese
Real Greek feta cheese is mainly made from pasteurized sheep’s milk, which is sometimes supplemented with goat’s milk. Traditional Greek feta cheese, before it reaches the market, must go through the stage of at least three months of maturation, as well as draining whey without the use of pressure. Feta cheese is a characteristic product – salty and spicy goes perfectly with vegetables, olive oil and seafood. It can be baked, added to stuffings and served with salads or snacks. The fat content of feta cheese is up to 40%. It is a product of the highest quality, which offers us a rich dose of wholesome protein (over 14%), calcium, vitamin A, vitamin K, sodium and a large dose of natural probiotics that support the intestinal microflora, and thus take care of our immunity.
Pita
Pita is not only characteristic fluffy pancakes with a large pocket for filling, but also soft flat breads. These remain elastic, great for wrapping homemade gyros in them, they will also make it easier to eat Mediterranean stews and shakshuka. Pita bread is moist inside and very pleasant to chew. Greek pita can be lubricated with dips. For all snacks, olives, beans, grilled eggplant we serve pita. We serve it with souvlakami and other meat and we give it to grilled vegetables.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a popular Greek sauce. It consists primarily of yogurt, garlic and cucumber. In the recipe for tzatziki, the principle works: the less, the better. Tzatziki should not be enriched with additional ingredients such as onions, white cheese or feta, so as not to deprive it of its true taste.
Tzatziki are most often served as a sauce for vegetables, bread, gyros and grilled meat.
Tip: It tastes best chilled for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Baklava
Baklava is a traditional baked dessert of Greek cuisine, also popular in Turkish, Bulgarian and Persian cuisine. The dessert is prepared from the so-called leaf cake, in Greece called filo cake. This cake translates into a layer of nuts (most often pistachio), but also often Italian or almonds. Dessert owes its sweet taste to a large amount of honey and sugar. Filo cake, from which baklava is made, is the basis of many Greek dishes, but unfortunately its preparation requires a lot of time and a lot of dexterity. The higher and nicer it grew, the more time it took to prepare it.
The creators of the dessert according to the state of today’s knowledge were to be assyrians, and the first baklavas were prepared already in the eighth century AD. Today, the creation of baklava is attributed to many countries that once belonged to the Ottoman Empire, m.in Turkey and Bulgaria. The first records of baklava come from the kitchen diaries of the Topkapi Palace, where baklava was to be baked as early as 1473.
Gyros
Gyros is probably the most famous representative of Greek cuisine, for the preparation of which garlic, oregano and peppers are used. The method of preparing gyros is extremely simple. Previously marinated meat – pork or mutton – is taken care of on a spit, and its pieces are cut off with an electric knife. In combination with pita and vegetables, you can prepare a complete dinner dish on its basis, while after adding to vegetables and selected sauces, you get a gyros salad. Gyros can be both a type of fast food and a dish served in restaurants.
Moussaka
Moussaka is a baked dish of meat and vegetables – tomatoes and eggplants. For the preparation of moussaki, pork-beef meat or mutton is used. The other ingredients are tomatoes, potatoes, garlic and onions, as well as spices such as cinnamon, thyme, oregano, nutmeg and pepper. White wine is also a flavoring addition.
