Pies with Ricotta, Mozzarella & Gruyere Cheese

As has been repeatedly written here, in several recipes, savory and sweet, Kourou Dough -yogurt dough- is so pliable, soft & velvety, and which we love to make for its ease of handling.
The pies are filled with any filling we like. Here their cheese filling was, in addition to fresh Anthotyros (like Ricotta), straight from its source of production and from the first to start using fresh milk, Tyromalama (like Mozzarella) and Gruyere Cheese. The 3 most beloved cheeses of Crete were combined and made into pies.
Yours!

work: 1h:30′

time: 2h:00′

easy:

Classic Spaghetti Carbonara

Never has a pasta dish given us so much delicious with just a handful of ingredients as this one! Italian Carbonara, if done properly, becomes a fantastic dish full of flavor and it’s a thing of beauty.

Of course, the Italian Carbonari (Furnace Charcoals Makers and Miners), the original inspirers of this dish and all their descendants did not use sour cream to make the pasta of this most famous, juicy, and creamy Spaghetti…

There is a hypothesis on the origin of the name, which connects the existence of black grated pepper on the pasta, so that it "blackens" their surface as if it were coal dust, a fact that can reasonably be considered to have happened to the miners who used to this dish, due to the easy finding of its ingredients for that time. A dish that we know historically was very popular in the popular neighborhoods of the time.
Yours!

work: 10′

time: 15′

very easy:

Yogurt Apple Cake

Mother was, is and will be special to the child, the teenager, the adult and today is nothing more than an opportunity to honor her and show her how much we love her.
Mother, mother, mom. Three words that enclose respect, beauty, tenderness, love and are always the most important presence in human life. An insurmountable bond that was praised more than any other, the mother was the source of inspiration for thousands of artists.
In the first verses of a poem dedicated to the mother we read:

• «I was awakened at dawn by an aura, a breath,
• on the cheek fluttered my mother's kiss
• Her caress filled me with love and affection
• and back I became a child again.
• With a kiss and a wish and her smile,
• As soon as I woke up I saw my sun on her face »…

work: 20′

time: 1h:00′

easy:

Crostata without Butter with Ricotta & Peach Jam

I wanted to try this type of dough, which contains light oil instead of butter. Although not really an Orthodox preparation compared to the rules of pastry, it is a great and easy way to make a dough very quickly. Mix everything in a bowl, work with the wire or spoon and then finish the process with a quick kneading on the kitchen work surface.
This shortens the time needed to make a sweet tart dough, as it does not need to rest in the fridge and can be used immediately even when there are a hundred degrees in the house due to the summer heat.
We open a sheet of handmade dough that is easily inserted into the tart dish, fills up and at one point we have our tart ready to get into the oven.
Sweet Tart without butter, filled with anthotyro -ricotta cheese- & Peach Jam, made by us in a very short time and with less sugar. Light Peach Jam recipe☯ at the end of the article. The dough sheet is so wonderful, with biscuit texture, crumbly, that it will surprise you with its taste and texture. It can also be used in savory tarts by removing sugar.
Hmmm, remember to make some cookies with this dough…
Yours, the Peach Jam Tart!

work: 20′

time: 1h:00′

medium:

Homemade Soft Pretzel

Have you ever felt that you would like to have the physique of Goddess Kali with 4 hands so that you can do many things at the same time and that your own hands are not enough? This is with me when I decide to deal with the doughs, where times run, parallel processes and many different small things that must be done in the correct sequence, that's when I need excess arms, fellow hands, comfortable, convenient & ready to assist in whatever we strive…
So here too, the helping hand came unexpectedly and they became these very fluffy, brioche textured, bread rolls, soft pretzels, all weather and all-purpose. On the top are sprinkled with the seasoning, the characteristic thick salt and a brownish color thanks to the Maillard Reaction. Preserved for some days fresh and combined with a meal or filled with sweet or savory flavors, your choice.
Yours!

work: 1h:30′

time: 3h:00′

medium:

Vasilopita Brioche 2018

It is always an excellent idea to welcome the New Year with delicious homemade savory and sweet dishes. As for the more traditional sweet, Vassilopita, it can be made in various shapes and ingredients for all tastes. Everything is just as delicious and they belong to the Christmas period of Greece. Prepare your Vassilopita sweet or savory - because there is this version in many of our areas - and bake it to beautify the house "feast!". Regardless of the taste you prefer best, do not forget to hide a coin inside!
Vassilopita without coin is not done.
This beloved version of Vassilopita Tsoureki is an easy and light-to-mouth version of traditional brioche. Our own was made with the new olive oil from our own olives, which just arrived at our house from the olive press. He was kneaded in Vassilopita and the satisfaction was great.

Happy New Year 2018!
Health, Love, Happiness to Everyone

work: 45′

time: 4h:45′

difficult:

Almond Tart

Almond Tart with orange aromas. With grated base dough -Pâte Sablée- kneaded with poppy seeds. The aromatic stuffing of the tart has two layers. A first, thin, with apricot jam and a second with almond cream, made with blanched ground almonds, butter, orange zest, cherry brandy, eggs and sprinkled in the surface with almond slivers.
Refined, delicate, light, almost ethereal flavors, that only almonds can give us.
Yours!

work: 1h:30′

time: 2h:30′

medium:

Chilled Chocolate Parfait Torte

This frosted torte parfait chocolate is a perfect choice for those who love the taste and intensity of dark chocolate. With great taste, with chocolate drops inside and bathed in rich sauce dark couverture. Frozen so as to be cut by the blade of the knife. Serve with extra sauce on filling pieces.
Yours!

work: 45′

time: 9h:00′

medium:

Stuffed Vine Leaves with Minced Meat & Tomato

Stuffed vine leaves with minced veal, a lot of onion, grated tomato, mint and white wine.
If for this dish your dining experience begins and ends in canned stuffed vine leaves, will surely feel aversion or dislike. But when you give a second chance, making the stuffed yourself with the following detailed step-by-step instructions, you will definitely revise.
It is an excellent dish, delicious and filling. The pleasure of the palate and our stomach. It can be combined with a velvety egg-lemon sauce or tzatziki.
Yours!

work: 2h:30′

time: 3h:00′

medium:

Soft Rolls

So soft, tender and easy!
They have a mild sweetness and their flavor goes well with all kinds of baked treats:
Warm-hot to accompany our leisurely breakfast, spread with butter, praline, honey or jam, and reasonably firm, so as not to break down from the knife. They become accompanying bread for our meal, so we can make wonderful dips in our favorite sauce. In small balls the are made savory-looking sandwich for our festive party, for kids and not only, and certainly they become delicious buns for burgers. In short enjoy as daily bread and make your day.
Yours!

work: 20′

time: 40′

very easy:

Crema Catalana

In Catalan cuisine there is an excellent sweet dessert, cream Catalana, flavored with cinnamon, anise, lemon and orange peel. Eggs and milk are combined to make a delicious cream, almost childlike. The sugar on the surface Creamer Catalan is caramelized with Confectionary torch or grill. Is this the scent of burnt / caramelized sugar which makes it unique.
Yours!

work: 20′

time: 2h:20′

easy:

Danesi Dolci

Danish pastries with puff pastry and fluffy, velvety pastry cream with an intense aroma of vanilla. The culmination of their taste is a fragrant apricot jam, which is added after the baking.
Gently, tasty cakes puff pastry for sunday breakfast. Build and fill small sweet bites on your table.
Yours!

work: 20′

time: 40′

easy:

Apple Tart

Crushed biscuit base, delicious crème pâtissière with cream and browned apple slices is the composition of this tart, with a strong presence of the aroma of cinnamon!
The apples cut into thin slices are stewed and placed round from top to create a visual playfulness of a rose aspect.
Yours!

work: 40′

time: 2h:00′

medium:

Lingonberry Torte

Refrigerator Torte with sponge fingers -savoiardi biscuits- pastry cream, white chocolate, cream cheese and lingonberry jam. A tasty combination of ingredients, light taste and as sweet as needed. Everything that suggests to have a successful outcome for a tasty delicious sweet treat.
Yours!

work: 1h:00′

time: 12h:00′

medium: