Faceromance

Greek Walnut Cake

Posted by Olga 4/4/02 5:34:04 pm

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
4 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup sweetened apple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and
cloves.
Stir in walnuts.
Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar at
high speed until foamy.
Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at
a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are
glossy and stand in soft peaks.
(Rub just a bit of meringue between
thumb and forefinger to feel if sugar has dissolved.)

In small mixing bowl, beat egg yolks at high speed until thick
and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes.

Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the remaining sugar.
Sprinkle flour
mixture over whites.
Add beaten yolk mixture.
Gently, but
thoroughly, fold yolk mixture into whites.
Pour into greased and
floured 10-inch springform pan.
Gently spread batter evenly.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven until top springs back when
lightly touched with finger, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove cake
from oven.
Cool completely.
Remove cake from pan and invert onto
serving platter.
Pierce top of cake with a skewer or fork.

In small saucepan, stir together apple juice, remaining 1/2 cup
sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel.
Cook over medium-high heat,
stirring constantly, until mixture boils.
Remove from heat.
Slowly
spoon syrup over cake until absorbed.

Serves 8.

Greek Cinnamon-Nut Sticks

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
2 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars.
Add egg, cream
and vanilla extract and beat well.

Sift flour with baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add to batter
gradually, mixing well after each addition.
Stir in nuts.
Pinch off
pieces of dough the size of small walnuts and roll between palms to
the thickness of a pencil.
Elongate the ends and place on baking
sheets.
Bake for about 12 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Greek Homestyle Chicken

Source: catholicculture.org

This is a common meal in Greece and smells delicious while it is
cooking.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice of two lemons
4 or 5 potatoes, peeled and sliced french-fry style
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup water
One head garlic, the cloves peeled but whole
Oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken in a shallow baking tray.
Arrange potatoes around
chicken pieces.
Scatter whole peeled cloves of garlic around
chicken and potatoes.

Mix together lemon juice and olive oil, and pour evenly over
chicken and potatoes.
Add water until potatoes are just about
covered.
Add salt, pepper to taste.
Cover chicken and potatoes with
generous amounts of oregano.
Bake at 350 degrees F, until tops of
chicken are reddish brown.

Turn chicken, stir potatoes, and sprinkle on more oregano.
If
potatoes aren’t at least half-covered with liquid, add water.
Return to oven for about 15-20 minutes.
Chicken is done when both
sides a lightly browned and potatoes are soft when touched with a
fork.

Serve with a crusty bread or with pita bread.

Serves 4.

Greek Saint Fanourios Cake (Fanouropita)

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups corn oil
1/3 cup brandy or orange liqueur
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups orange juice
Grated peel of 1 orange
1/2 cup each dried currants, raisins and chopped walnuts
Sesame seeds for topping

Put all the ingredients, except for the flour and baking soda,
into a large bowl.
Mix to a creamy consistency.
Add flour and
baking soda and stir until just mixed.
Pour mixture into a greased
9 x 13-inch pan that has been sprinkled with sesame seeds and then
cover surface with more sesame seeds.
Bake at 350 degrees F for
45-60 minutes.

Melomakarouna (Honey Cookies Stuffed with Dates and Nuts

Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 pounds flour
2 sticks (1 cup) sweet, unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups Wesson oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flour (about 1 pound more)

Filling
2 cups chopped nuts
1 pound chopped dates
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey

Syrup
3 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
1 slice lemon (1/2 lemon)
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups honey

Add pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder to 2 pounds of
flour.

Beat 2 sticks sweet (unsalted) butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar well.
Add 2 cups of Wesson oil slowly, beating well.
Add 1 egg and beat.
Add 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 1/2 cups orange juice and add
quickly to mixture.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Add flour to
mixture until dough is soft but not sticky.
You will use about
another pound of flour, (about 3 pounds of flour in all).

Prepare filling.
Combine 2 cups chopped nuts, 1 pound chopped
dates, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons honey.
Take 1
tablespoon dough and put about 1/2 teaspoon filling in center and
then fold dough over to seal in filling.
Bake at 350 degrees F
until brown.

Prepare syrup.
Boil 3 cups sugar and 4 cups of water with one
slice lemon (1/2 lemon), 1 cinnamon stick until syrupy, about 15
minutes.
Add 2 cups honey.
Dip cold cookies in warm syrup or dip
warm cookies in cold syrup.
Dip each cookie into honey and then
into ground nuts mixed with cinnamon.

Yields about 100 cookies.

Pontica (Orange Cake in Syrup)

Cake
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
6 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

Syrup
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter an 8 x 12-inch pan with
1/4 cup melted butter.

Make syrup by combining orange juice, water and sugar in
saucepan.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Allow to cool.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

In another bowl, beat egg yolks until light yellow.
To yolks add
sugar, orange rind and vanilla extract; cream well.

Mix flour and baking powder together, set aside.

To egg yolk mixture, add egg whites, alternating with 2
tablespoons of flour, ending with egg whites.
Pour batter into
prepared pan.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted
in center of cake comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven; cut into
diamond shapes.
Pour cold syrup over hot cake.
Let cool completely
before serving.

Greek Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small bunches fresh spinach, washed well,
large stems removed, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sliced pitted black olives (preferably Greek olives,
such as kalamata)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
Pepper to taste
1 pound cooked penne or other short thick pasta

Heat olive oil in large skillet and cook onions and garlic over
medium heat until translucent.
Lower heat and add spinach and cook,
covered, until wilted, but still green.
Add chopped olives,
crumbled feta cheese, pepper and lemon juice.
Stir in cooked pasta
and serve.

Saint Basil’s Bread (Vasilopeta)

Source: Lior’s Kitchen Talk

A Greek New Year’s bread.

The cakes differ in the various regions of Greece: some are a
type of bread, others a type of rich yeast cake, others are flat,
made of cookie dough.
The cakes may differ, but all include the
customary hidden silver coin.
It symbolizes good luck to the person
who finds the coin in his piece of cake.
The head of the family
cuts slices in a very precise order.
The first piece goes to Saint
Basil for the cake is made in his honor.
The second piece goes to
Christ.
The third piece is for the oldest member of the family, and
on down to the youngest.
The following recipe is the most
traditional version.

2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 eggs
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or pistachios)
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar together until light.
Add flour and stir
until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add eggs, one at a time,
beating well after each addition.
Stir baking powder into milk and
stir into egg mixture.

Mix baking soda and lemon juice and stir in.
Mix well.
Pour into
a greased round layer cake pan 10 inches in diameter and 2 inches
deep.
Randomly throw in a clean coin.
Bake for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with nuts and sugar and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer,
or until cake tests done.
Cool 10 minutes in pan and invert onto
serving plate.
Serve right side up.

Rolled Baklava

1 pound filo dough, thawed
1 cup vegetable oil
Nut Filling
Syrup

Spread out 1 sheet of filo dough.
Dab or lightly brush with oil.
Over this, evenly place a second sheet of filo.
Brush sheet with
oil and lightly sprinkle with Nut Filling.
Place a third sheet of
filo over this, brush with oil and sprinkle with more Nut Filling.
Roll up tightly (the 3 sheets together) jelly-roll fashion.
Slice
diagonally into 1-inch pieces.
Place on a lightly greased baking
sheet.
Repeat until all filo dough and filling are used.
Bake in
preheated 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until light golden.
Cool.

Freeze at this point, if desired.
When ready to serve, prepare
Syrup, cool and pour over individual pieces.
Serve in paper candy
cups.

Makes about 4 to 5 dozen.

NUT FILLING: In a medium bowl, combine 5 cups almonds OR pecans,
chopped fine in food processor, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (optional) and 1/2 cup toasted
sesame seeds (optional).
Mix well.

SYRUP: In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups honey
and 1 cup water.
Heat to boiling and cook until sticky, about 5 to
8 minutes, until syrup coats the back of a spoon.
Do not
overcook.

Greek Meatballs (Keftethes)

Source: I have made Keftethes on many occasions - (the recipe is
from a Greek cookbook I’ve had for years) - and they are quite
famous amongst my friends.
Hope you enjoy them.
Regards ~ Geoff
Clifford - UK

1 large onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1kg (2 1/4 pound) lean minced beef or lamb
2 cups unseasoned breadcrumbs, moistened
in about 3/4 cup warm water
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped mint (if not
available, use chopped, dried mint)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Ouzo (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Plain flour
1 cup olive oil and corn oil mixed (you may
need slightly more)

Fry onions with vegetable oil over low heat until golden.
Remove
to a large mixing bowl.

Add meat and all other ingredients except flour and olive/corn
oil mix.
Knead for about 10 minutes or until mixture is a smooth
paste.

Heat the oil mix in a large frying pan to the point of
fragrance.

Meanwhile, start to shape mixture into balls about the size of a
large marble by rolling lightly between palms of hands, I suggest
that you do them in batches of say 12 - 16, each batch being enough
to space evenly but separately in the frying pan.

As each meatball is formed place them on a large plate which has
been liberally covered with plain flour.
When the batch is finished
lightly roll the meatball in the flour.
At this point the oil in
the frying pan should be just ready.

Put the batch of meatball into the pan (Use kitchen tongs as the
oil is very hot).

Start on your second batch of meatballs, make them and place
them on the floured plate.
At this point it is time to turn the
meatballs over and when you have completed this roll the second
batch in the flour.

Now it is time to remove the first batch from the frying pan
using a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs and place on paper towels to
drain.

Put the second batch of meatballs into the pan to cook and carry
on with the process until you have finished the mixture.

These meatballs are deliciously light and delicately flavoured
and you can serve them hot, warm or cold or freeze for future
use.