During these difficult times CYA staff and faculty have graciously agreed to contribute wonderful, traditional recipes that you can try at home. Here’s a little chance to bring Greece back to wherever you may be. Try them out for yourself and let us know how they turn out!

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MELITZANOSALATA (AUBERGINES DIP)

“Melitzanosalata is prepared for any occasion and usually all tavernas/restaurants  serve it. The best one is  the one made by the monks in Mt. Athos which is called (Agiogirtiki). They add some sweet red peppers, fresh onions, dry onions, garlic, some lemon juice , apple vinegar and parsley.” -Nadia Meliniotis, Executive Director of Student Affairs

Ingredients ( 4-5 persons):

• 3kg eggplants (big ones)
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic

Instructions:

1. Place the eggplants in a baking tray and grill them for approx 40 min (You might add some salt also)
2. When the skin  becomes dark and wrinkled we remove them
3. Allow to cool and remove the skin
4. Place the eggplants in a strainer and leave for 1/2 an hour.’
5. Follow by placing them in a bowl and mash them to a puree adding the rest of the ingredients
6. Taste to see if the seasoning is ok and serve with some pitta bread ( or any kind of bread)

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BIFTEKIA (large meatballs) & POTATOES

–Popi Baloglu, Director of Housing and Catering

Biftekia Ingredients: 

• 2 pounds minced meat (beef)
• 2 eggs
• 2 onions (grated)
• 2 garlic cloves (grated)
• 1 cup parsley (well chopped)
• 1 tablepoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound (approx) bread without crusts that has been moistened and then had the water squeezed out.
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

  Potatoes  ingredients:

• 6 – 7 potatoes
• Salt 
• Pepper
• Oregano
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup Water

Instructions:

1. With your hands, mix the minced meat and other ingredients well, and then shape the mixture into (approx.) six large biftekia.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them in small pieces (small potato will be in approx 4 pieces).
3. Rinse them well.
4. Place the potatoes in an oven pan.
5. Add salt, pepper, oregano and  top with the biftekia. 
6. Pour in 1 cup of olive oil, ½ cup lemon juice, and 1 cup of water.
7. Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 390 degree F oven for approximately one hour. 
8. After one hour remove the foil and bake for 10-15 minutes more.

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BAKED FETA

“Eat it right away while it’s hot with some good bread. It’s so good!”-Aimee Placas, CYA Faculty

Ingredients:

• feta (however much you’d like)
• oregano
• olive oil
• optional: sliced tomato/pepper

Instructions:

1. Take a thick slice of feta and put it on some aluminum foil. 
2. Sprinkle some oregano over the top and some olive oil. 
3. You could add few thin slices of pepper or tomato on top if you like.  
4. Seal the foil over it into a little package, and bake it in the oven for about 10 minutes at about 375-400. 

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PRASSORIZO

“You can serve this with a Greek salad or eat it on it’s own. It’s also nice with a little yogurt and extra lemon or as a side to grilled meat or fish (though this kind of dish was to be eaten in place of meat actually, that’s why it’s so rich (one cup of olive oil).” -Jennifer Holland, Student Affairs Advisor

Ingredients:

• About 2 lbs of leeks (but you can use a bit less if you add other greens)
• 1 cup olive oil
• medium to large onion finely chopped or grated (even better)
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 2 celery stalks (thinly sliced)
• Handful of finely chopped parsley
• Small green pepper (the light green if you can find it) thinly sliced or grated (optional)
• 3rd cup short grained rice ( I like to use the big risotto style rice – comes out big and fluffy and holds more of the flavorful liquid from the dish!)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (I usually the juice of a whole juicy lemon)

Instructions:

1. Wash and trim the leeks well (get rid of all sand and the tough parts)
2. Cut them into pieces (not small but not very large)
3. Put them in a pot of boiling water for 5 mins and then drain them and set aside
4. In a heavy pan or pot saute the chopped or grated onion and the celery (and pepper if you use it) until soft but not mushy in the olive oil.
5. Add leeks and the tomato puree
6. Add salt and pepper
7. Cook that until the leeks are tender (not mushy). You may have to add a little water until the leeks become tender enough.
8. Add the rice and the other greens (optional – I usually add a couple of handfuls).
9. Simmer covered until the rice is done.
10.  According to Jennifer, you can also make this dish with spinach instead of leeks. That’s called SPANAKORIZO.

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CHICKEN & POTATOES

–Popi Baloglu, Director of Housing and Catering

Ingredients:

•    1 Chicken 
•    2 kg (± 4 pounds) Potatoes 
•    1 tablespoon Salt                      
•    1 teaspoon  Black pepper     
•    1 tablespoon Oregano
• lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1 cup Olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons Mustard 
• 1½ cup Water

Instructions:

1. Rinse the chicken under the faucet water well !!!
2. Peel the potatoes and you cut them in small pieces (small potato in approx 4 pieces).
3. Rinse them well !!
4. Place the chicken and the potatoes in the oven pan.   
5. Pour the “sauce” (lemon, olive oil and mustard) over the chicken and the potatoes.
6. Then add the water
7. Bake them for approx 1½ hour in 375º F.
8. Every half hour turn the chicken and potatoes over in order to roast the bottom side as well.

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GEMISTA (stuffed tomatoes and peppers)

“The gemista without minced meat are called “poor ones” There are still Greeks who prefer them with meat. My grandmother used to add pine nuts and raisins.”-Nadia Meliniotis, Executive Director of Student Affairs

Ingredients:

• 5 large red tomatoes
• 5 large green peppers
• 1 medium size eggplant
• 1 medium size zucchini
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• olive oil
• 1lb rice (preferable glutinous rice)
• 3 1/2 oz tomato paste
• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch parsley
• salt
• pepper
• sugar
• 2 spoons of flour
• 2 spoons of breadcrumbs
• 2lbs potatoes

Instructions:

1. Empty the tomatoes and keep the inside
2. The same way with the green peppers but remove the seeds
3. In a pot place  the onion, garlic, eggplant and zucchini chopped in small pieces and  stir  fry them with olive oil for a few minutes
4. Then add the rice and keep cooking stirring the mix
5. Add also in the pot the “heart” of the tomatoes, the chopped mint and parsley, a bit of salt and black pepper
6. Remove the rice before it is fully cooked and leave the mix to rest and to absorb all the juices.
7. Peel and cut the potatoes into large piece and boil them just for 2 min
8. In another bowl put the tomato paste, some water the flour and mix well.
9. Add some sugar, salt and pepper.
10. Before stuffing the tomatoes and peppers  put some of the (sugar-salt-pepper) mix. Continue the stuffing with the rice and place them in the baking tray.
11. Put the potatoes in between the tomatoes and peppers and then pour the tomato sauce and some olive oil.
12. Before placing the baking tray into the oven sprinkle breadcrumbs on the top of the tomatoes and peppers.
13. Bake minimum 1 hour in 400 F, checking the juice and if need be add more

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TYROPITTA (cheese pie)

“There are many variations on cheese pies. This one is a simple one. I use goat feta cheese and I add some shredded yellow cheese and in the mix a spoon of tahini!”-Nadia Meliniotis, Executive Director of Student Affairs

Ingredients:

• 1kg feta cheese 
• 3 eggs
• black pepper
• 1 cup milk or yogurt
• 1 spoon chopped mint
• 500 gr dough for pies or fillo pastry
• 200 gr melted butter ( margarine)

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Place the dough in a well buttered tray (2layers) or  5-6 ( if the fillo pastry is used)
3. Butter always each layer with a brush
4. Then place the  mix into the tray and close it using 2 layers of the dough or 5-6 of the fillo pastry.
5. Trace the top of the pie the number of pieces you want 
6. Place the cheese pie in a preheated oven 180 C for about 45 min

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YIOUVETSI & KRITHARAKI (Beef with Noodles)

–Popi Baloglu, Director of Housing and Catering

Ingredients:

•   2 pounds Beef (cut in small pieces) 
•   ±1 pound Noodles (kritharaki) 
•     Fresh tomatoes (grated) and ½ tin of tomato sauce
•     Salt
•     Pepper
•     Yellow cheese (grated)
•     2 Onions (grated) 
•   ½ cup Red wine   
•   1 cup Olive oil 

Instructions:

1. In a pot put the beef (cut in small pieces)
2. The olive oil, the grated onions and brown them for about 3-4 minutes.
3. Pour-in the red wine – the tomato sauce – salt- pepper and water (to cover the meat).
4. Let the meat simmer 
5. Cook for about 1hour (till the meat is soft)
6. When the meat is ready ,put in this pot: approx 2 cups of hot water, the kritharaki (noodles) and boil for not  more than 4 minutes.
7. Then empty (the beef with noodles) into an oven pan, adding the grated cheese on top.
8. Bake in pre-heated oven (400ºF) for about 10 minutes  

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BAKLAVAS  ( one tray 27cm x 40 cm)

“Baklava is for all occasions but especially Easter and my grandmother used to serve it on Carnival season as well. Most of the Greeks use only walnuts.” -Nadia Meliniotis, Executive Director of Student Affairs

Syrup Ingredients:

• 1 kilo sugar
•  1 1/2 lt water
• 2 spoons honey
• orange and lemon
• 1 vanilla stick
• 1 cinnamon stick

Pastry Ingredients:

• 1 kilo filo pastry
• 200 gr walnuts ( without salt and not roasted)
• 100 gr pistachio nuts ( without salt  and not roasted)
• 100 gr almonds ( without salt and not roasted)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon glove powder
• 4 soup spoons breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup rose water
• 1 kilo melted butter’

Instructions:

1. Place the ingredients for the syrup in a pot and boil until it thickens about 20 to 25 min
2. Mix all the nuts ( walnuts, almond, pistachio) cinnamon, glove and breadcrumbs
3. Brush the tray with butter and start placing the filo layers (10) to start  (always buttering each one separately)
4. In the next 8 layers add the nuts mix and  at the end finish with the remaining 10 filo layers on the top
5. Cut in squares and sprinkle with rose water
6. Place the baking tray in a preheated oven and bake at 170 C for almost one hour
7. When the baklava is ready pour the syrup (not hot)
8. Leave the baklava for 2 hours and then serve

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If you try out any of these recipes, please send a picture to @cyathens on Instagram. We would love to feature it on our story!

And a special thank you to Nadia, Popi, Jennifer, and Aimee for all of their wonderful contributions!