Greek cooking. Greek vegetable snacks

Family holiday in Greece, planning is easy: in the morning and afternoon - the beach, during the hot hours - sleep, and in the afternoon and evening - a meal in a tavern and an attempt to decide which national dish of Greece is the most delicious.

Children can also take part in discussions, because traditional cuisine this country is suitable for children's stomachs. Kidpassage has collected all the information about what you need to try while traveling to Hellas and what to feed your child.

The specifics of Greek cuisine

Greek cuisine has absorbed all the traditions of Mediterranean cooking: it generously uses fresh vegetables, spices, olive oil, seafood.

The cooking methods that the Greeks prefer make food healthy and healthy, which is so important for children's nutrition. And Greek cuisine has its own secrets, thanks to which simple, unsophisticated dishes have a special taste.

First secret national cuisine Greece - in a set of herbs and spices. garlic, onion, Bay leaf, oregano, thyme, basil, thyme, dill, mint, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves - not a complete list.

The second secret is vegetables and legumes warmed by the Greek sun: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, zucchini, green bean, nut.

The third is the frequent use in dishes of cheeses from sheep and goat milk: feta, manuri, halloumi, kefalotiri, kazeri and others.

Fourth - the widespread use of goat meat and lamb in the preparation of meat dishes; pork, beef and poultry are also used.

Fifth - love for fresh fish and seafood dishes.

Sixth - methods of processing products that preserve the maximum nutritional properties. The most commonly used is baking; there are also many boiled and stewed dishes.

And the last of the secrets is the reverent attitude of the Greeks to olive oil. The oil is often pressed on its own, by hand, and its taste depends not only on the method of preparation, but even on the region where the olives grew.

In Greece, only olive oil is used for frying food.

To taste traditional Greek dishes, you should bypass tourist-oriented establishments with local dishes. Real Greek cuisine is in those taverns where Greeks gather in the evenings with their families to have a hearty dinner and chat.

National dishes of Greece

Let's start praising the national food of Greece not with meat, fish or vegetables, but with marvelous Greek olives. Large and dark fruits of the "Kalamon" variety, small green "Chalkidiki" with an oily sheen, dried olives from the island of Thassos - the Greeks themselves grow olives and salt and pickle them themselves.

Each tavern has its own recipes and secret knowledge, what herbs to put in the marinade and what to put in fruits instead of seeds.

Yogurt- product number 2 in the list of national food in Greece. It is made from cow, and more often from sheep milk. Greek yogurt It has thick consistency and looks like soft cheese. It is added to salads and pastries, used for stewing and baking, and ice cream is prepared on its basis.

Often yogurt sprinkled with honey or fruit syrup served as a dessert. By the way, the same healthy sweetness can be prepared on your own from soft anfotiro cheese, reminiscent of homemade cottage cheese.

Well, now let's talk about the most popular dishes that are prepared everywhere in Greece:

• Moussaka- eggplant casserole with meat, often lamb, with bechamel sauce.
• Stifado- stewed meat in a thick onion sauce.
• Kleftiko- lamb cooked in a clay pot.
• pastitsio- pasta casserole with meat, cheese and egg.
• Paputsakya - stuffed with meat eggplant.
• Gemista- Peppers or tomatoes stuffed with minced meat.
• Lukanika Horiatika- homemade sausages, in which, in addition to meat, various other products are added. Among unusual additives- oranges or olives.
• souvlaki- small skewers on wooden skewers.
• Pites- puff pastry pies with different fillings: with cheese and spinach (spanakopita), with meat (creatopita), with cheese (tiropita). At Christmas, a special sweet basilopita pie is prepared.
• Dolma- cabbage rolls in grape leaves.

A complete list of dishes would be much longer, but we have selected those dishes that are suitable for baby food. Deciding what to try out Greek cuisine, take into account the peculiarities of cooking different dishes.

Offer children boiled, stewed, baked foods, and try to avoid fried foods.

How to whet the appetite

A typical Greek meal begins with appetizers, which are called "meze" in Greece. This concept includes light vegetable dishes. Here are just a few of the most popular snacks.

• Tzadzyki- yoghurt sauce with garlic and grated cucumber, which can be spread on bread or picked up with crispy skordopsomo croutons.
• Melizanosalata- caviar from baked eggplants.
• Dolmadacya- rolled up in an envelope and in a special way cooked grape leaves.
• Hummus - gentle puree from chickpeas with the addition of oil and spices.
• Keftedes- meatballs from zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms.

All this is unusually tasty, but still it is only a warm-up before the main course. We do not recommend leaning on snacks, because a large portion of the main course is waiting for you.

If you are not too hungry or are having a meal with a child, you can order one serving for two or three people. And if you are very hungry - order different dishes for everyone to try a little of everything.

Greek salads

Salads in Greece are also a kind of snacks. But sometimes such an appetizer can replace lunch, since salads, in addition to vegetables, often include cheese (feta, mizifra).

The famous Greek salad (in Greece it is called “village” - lettuce horiatiki), you must try it: firstly, these are fresh vegetables, secondly, delicate feta cheese soaked in tomato juice, coarsely chopped sweet onions, elastic oily olives - it’s just extraordinarily tasty.

Dakos - popular salad on Crete. It is made from finely chopped tomatoes and mizithra cheese seasoned with olive oil, oregano and basil. Dakos is served on a piece of toasted bread.

Angurodomata- a salad for picky children. It consists of tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet red onions. There are no unfamiliar seasonings and cheeses in it.

Horta- a traditional dish in Greece. It is prepared from young dandelion leaves and chicory. Dressing is olive oil and lemon.

Dishes from fish and seafood

Fish dishes are best ordered in taverns on the coast - this guarantees the freshness of the product. In such places, it is customary for the visitor to choose the fish and seafood for the dish.

The easiest way to cook is roasting on charcoal, but there are a huge number of recipes. To help you navigate the menu, here are the names of the most popular dishes:

• xtapodi sharas- grilled octopus tentacles;
• kalamaria yemista me tiri- baked squids;
• midya akhnista- steamed mussels.

Dishes to try for kids

What to offer the child from hearty food? First of all, of course, delicious moussaka. For lovers of homemade meatballs, order fragrant keftedes or suzukakya meatballs, which are great with baked vegetables as a side dish.

Stifado or cokinisto stew is paired with potatoes or rice and is often served with it as well. boiled carrots or broccoli.

A child who prefers pasta will be happy to have a serving of pastitsio for lunch. And the simplest meat dish that you can eat without the help of cutlery is shish kebab souvlaki.

But if the child does not twist his nose at the word "soup" (and if he does, even more so), offer him something from the first courses. Avgolemono - boiled on chicken broth soup with the addition of small orzo pasta in the form of rice grains - light and nutritious.

Translated from Greek, this name means "egg and lemon." Fasolada - thick bean soup with the addition of tomato sauce. Also very popular in Greece lentil stew fakes, but it is rarely prepared in taverns - you can try this when visiting local residents.

If you are having a meal with a baby who has just begun to join the adult table, the tavern will not refuse to cook simple meals for a small guest - boiled meat, fish, vegetables.

From vegetable dishes children can be offered briam- potato stew, zucchini, bell pepper and other vegetables. Also try with your child bamies- dish from stewed pods okra.

This plant is rich in vitamins and minerals, eating its fruits is a good prevention of digestive problems.

Dessert

For desserts, any child will certainly leave room in the stomach. Many sweets in Greece are made using nuts and honey:

• melomakarona- sweet cookies with honey;
• loukoumades- donuts sprinkled with honey;
• baklava - puff pastry with nuts.

Lukum (a jelly-like sweet made from starch and sugar with the addition of all kinds of flavors) will also please the soul of the sweet tooth.

IN different regions There is own recipes baking. For example, katimeria bagels are baked, which are poured over with honey syrup. The highlight is a xerotigan bun in the shape of a rose. And they make almond nougat mandolato.

A wonderful alternative to baking will be fragrant Greek fruits - apricots, peaches, strawberries, cherries, figs, grapes, melons and watermelons. Interestingly, the Greeks love to eat watermelon with halloumi cheese.

Beverages

Tea, as we are used to, is almost never drunk in Greece - here it is considered health drink. Greeks prefer coffee, especially frappe - chilled coffee with foam.

A bottle of water will be served with every meal, while children can order freshly squeezed water as a drink. Orange juice(the unprepossessing Greek oranges used to make it are actually delicious).

Where to try Greek food

National dishes of Greek cuisine are served in hotels and restaurants. But to appreciate the nuances, it is best to go to the tavern. The inscription TAVERNA does not necessarily flaunt above it - often RESTAURANT is written on the sign.

You will recognize a real tavern by looking inside and seeing a simple interior, a minimum of staff and a maximum of local residents at the tables.

It is important to note that you can eat in taverns without fear - the owners, who receive guests as their friends, are very careful about the quality of food.

What kids will love Greek taverns- lack of strict etiquette. Here you will not get confused in forks and knives - there is a minimum of cutlery, and in some places some dishes are laid out directly on a table covered with clean paper.

Such a little hooliganism, when the table serves as a plate, will be appreciated by the children and will awaken their appetite.

Note that taverns can have a specialization. The best dishes of Greece, prepared from fish and seafood, will be served to you in coastal psarotavernas. The khasapotaverna menu consists almost entirely of meat dishes.

And establishments with the name girodiko and suvladzidiko are considered restaurants fast food, while they cook the most that neither is national food Greeks: souvlaki skewers and gyros wrapped in pita, reminiscent of shawarma.

Whatever the name of the tavern, there will definitely not be desserts on its menu. You can drink coffee, which is idolized in Greece, in cafes, eat a cake - in tiropitadiko, try Greek sweets- in zacharoplastio, enjoy a milk dessert - in galaktopolio.

In conclusion, it remains only to wish: “Kali oreksi!”, Which means “Bon appetit!”

You can't hide the character of a nation. It shines through the prism of historical and cultural heritage. In some countries, even gastronomic traditions mirror the peculiarities of temperament, as, for example, in Greece.

Emotional, expressive, hospitable - it's all about the Greeks. A feast for them as an occasion for sincere conversation. Not surprisingly, the word "meal" has Greek roots and is translated as "conversation".

Greek dishes are like the paintings of the Impressionists, bright, memorable, with large large strokes. The gods of Olympus believed that their strength was in their food.

Even the first cookbook was written in Greece and paved the way for Mediterranean cooking. The cuisine has managed to retain its individuality despite 400 years of Turkish occupation, absorbing notes of Arabic and Slavic flavors.

Traditions and history of Greek cuisine Dishes of the country of the sun are quite simple to prepare. And, perhaps, none of them is complete without the addition of olive oil, " liquid gold, as it was called in antiquity.

Olives in Greece are like curry in India, cockroaches in Asia, raw fish in Japan, chili in Mexico - the basis of everything. Olive trees are unusual, the winners of ancient competitions wore wreaths of their leaves as a sign of victory. Their age is sometimes 1000 years old, and few people know that they, like sunflowers, love to expose themselves to the gentle rays of the sun.

The Greek terrain is difficult to reach for cattle breeding, so meat dishes are prepared mainly from lamb and goat meat.

But fish and shellfish - at least a dime a dozen, but special delights in culinary application they do not differ. Portions of the Greeks are always large, they like to drink ouzo with food, this is brandy with anise aging and wine. Tea is not the most popular drink, but they have coffee in high esteem.

Greeks love to cook dishes from vegetables and their unusual combinations, since nature generously shares its gifts with them: tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, okra.

They stuff everything they see and call it the overseas word "gemista". They do not skimp on adding spices, there is always oregano, lavrushka, garlic, dill, thyme and basil at hand.

The Greeks are culinary visionaries, meat for example, they can season with sweet ingredients, cinnamon and cloves.

What can we say, they even prepare dishes from pumpkin flowers. And how much they love cheese, the subject of national pride has about 50 species. Consumed in large quantities, 25 kg per year per person, which is a world record. Outside the country, feta is well known, an invariable component of the Greek salad (horiatiki).

Listen to the names of Greek dishes - dolmades, melizanes, fakorizo, skortalia, spanakopita. From their sound alone, you want to run to the kitchen and urgently start cooking!

The people called Moussaka "the shepherd's dish", translated from Arabic as "chilled", according to the cooking technology, it is very similar to lasagna.

It is so popular that in 2000 a Greek director made a film called Attack of the Giant Moussaka. main ingredient- eggplant, they form the basis of the lower layer, lamb with tomatoes is placed in the middle layer and this composition is completed with a delicate and airy Bechamel sauce.

Finely chop one onion and a few garlic cloves and bring to a boil in a pan golden brown. Minced mince through a meat grinder and lightly fry, adding finely chopped tomato there.

Leave to languish, stirring slightly, for 30 minutes, remove the lid and let the moisture evaporate.

In the cooled minced meat, add one beaten egg, a little red wine and three tablespoons of tomato paste. Cut two pieces of peeled potatoes and eggplant into rings.

In order for the eggplants to give off excess moisture, they must be salted and left for 15 minutes, and then fried, naturally, in olive oil. Throw potatoes in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Now we can build our culinary house.

We put potatoes and eggplants in the foundation, then meat sauce, covered again with eggplants, and pour everything with Bechamel sauce. Preparing it is quite simple: pour three cups of cream into a mixture of fried flour and melted butter (half a glass each).

When the mass thickens, season with pepper and nutmeg and drive in one yolk. Bake the moussaka in the oven for one hour.

Tzatziki - the pearl of Greek cuisine

An integral part of Greek cuisine is meze, which means “to gnaw something”. In other words, these are appetizers, hot or cold.

Tzatziki is used both as a sauce for meat or fried fish, and as a main "snack" dish. Represents cold sauce based perfect combination crispy cucumbers, delicate creamy yogurt and spicy garlic.

The main thing in its preparation is to find the right strangisto (regular yogurt from which the whey has been removed) with a fat content of about 10%.

Two large cucumber rub on coarse grater, then salt and squeeze. Add 1 kg of yogurt, after removing excess liquid from it, survive three cloves of garlic, season with one chopped bunch of dill, three tablespoons of olive oil and one teaspoon grape vinegar, do not forget about salt - pepper.

The dish is ready, it will be very tasty if you soak bread in it.

Pastitio or pasta casserole recipes

You will need to prepare two sauces: Bechamel and Bolognese, as well as stock up on pasta thick in a hole (half a kilogram will be enough) and 400 grams of griviera cheese (can be replaced with any other sheep's cheese).

So, after you have boiled the pasta and grated the cheese, proceed to the sauces. We have already met Bechamel, now we will learn how to cook Bolognese.

Fry 0.5 kg ground beef with one chopped onion, add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, a little dry red wine, salt and pepper and simmer.

Sending this cooking masterpiece in the oven for 40 minutes and serve cool.

Dolmadakya - Grape Leaves

You will need 300 grams of fresh large grape leaves, scalded for two minutes in boiling water and stuffing.

Fry 3 finely chopped onions in a large amount of olive oil and add 1 cup of rice, half of the chopped bunches of dill, parsley, fennel, a spoonful of mint, salt, pepper and a glass hot water. Boil the resulting mixture for 10 minutes and let cool.

We put one teaspoon of the filling into the grape leaves and tamp it into a saucepan, pouring in the juice of two fresh lemons. Cover it with a plate on top, this will not allow the top leaves to open. Boil for about an hour.

As you can see, all recipes are not particularly difficult to use. The main thing is with what mood you do it. It has been proven that the process of cooking even affects the psychology of a person.

And if a woman cooks, then this is a mystical ritual that programs the future. The tastier she cooks, the happier her "beautiful far away" will be.

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The national dishes of the Greeks are harmony fragrant herbs, fresh food and a variety of spices generously flavored with olive oil.

Gastronomic masterpieces, known since the times of Ancient Hellas, are “seasoned” with the alluring sea, the burning sun and reflect the cheerful and open temperament of the locals. Therefore, to get a complete picture of the country, to feel its Mediterranean flavor, is impossible without getting to know the most popular dishes of the multifaceted Greek cuisine.

Moussaka (Μουσακάς)

The first thing you need to try in Greece from food is the world-famous moussaka. The meat dish, which evokes associations with the incendiary dance of sirtaki, has Middle Eastern roots. As early as the 13th century, in Arabic cookbooks there was a dish "magum", strikingly reminiscent of the eggplant delicacy of the Hellenes.

Like all traditional Greek dishes, moussaka consists only of natural healthy products. Judge for yourself - a delicious puff casserole is prepared on the basis of eggplant, tomatoes, onions and lamb. Bechamel sauce adds a special charm to the dish. They say that he was brought into the country by a certain Nikos Tselimentes. The future cook, trained in the culinary craft, was the first to use cream sauce when cooking meat with vegetables.

Pastitsio (Παστίτσιο)

Locals consider pastitsio the pride of Greece's national cuisine and a must-try gastronomic item for those traveling around the country. And although the name of the dish is consonant with the Italian pasticcio, there is an opinion that the origins of the dish are rooted in the times of Ancient Hellas. According to the version of some etymologists, the word pasta comes from the Greek "macaria", meaning "a meal made from barley flour."

Traditionally, the composition of the famous casserole includes pasta, chopped meat, pureed tomatoes, eggs and bechamel sauce. Aromatic canela and nutmeg give it a special taste. According to the Greeks, the best pastitsio is prepared on the island of Corfu, complementing the recipe with almost transparent filo dough and slices of ham.

Fasolada (Φασολάδα)

One of the popular Greek dishes that you should definitely try while traveling is rich bean soup. It was prepared in Ancient Hellas.

Local residents consume beans in winter, when the air temperature drops to +7 °C, or during Orthodox Lent- the time of the ban on all meat products. High-calorie food is served to the table both hot and cold.

Any hostess can cook a traditional first course of Greek cuisine. From the ingredients you will need only herbal ingredients: white beans, carrots, onions, tomato puree And . And do not forget the celery - it is he who gives a thick stew unique aroma and unique taste.

Fakes (Φακές)

Another famous Greek dish from the category of lean soups. Traditional stew cooked according to all the rules healthy eating, the benefits of which were proven by Hippocrates. There is no place for saturated fats, preservatives and artificial additives in the recipe. A useful fake is a storehouse of microelements, fiber, vitamins and protein.

And although the ingredients of the popular soup vary depending on the region of the country, one thing remains stable - the main component of the dish, lentils. A light sourness to food gives the second mandatory component - lemon juice. In Greek restaurants, you can try faqes with sliced ​​feta cheese, which is traditionally served with this soup.

Kleftiko (Κλέφτικο)

The list of the 10 best dishes in Greece would be incomplete without kleftiko, a traditional dish whose name translates as “stolen meat”. According to legend, this masterpiece of national cuisine owes its appearance to peasants who, during the Turkish rule, stole lambs and rams from enemies, hiding them in pits marked with stones and fires. A few days later, baked and very soft food was taken out of the hiding places.

Do not try to cook kleftiko in your kitchen: you will not get the authentic smell of a light haze inherent in the dish. Real lamb with potatoes, flavored with a mixture of herbs, in Greece are baked in special ovens, first melting them with firewood, and then sealing the hole with clay. This helps to keep the precious heat as long as possible.

Melizanosalata (Mελιτζανοσαλάτα)

Once in the homeland of the ancient Hellenes, do not miss the opportunity to try this famous traditional dish of Greece. Cooked according to all the rules, it will leave unforgettable taste memories. At first glance, melizanosalata resembles "overseas, eggplant caviar." But from the famous vegetable snack tender paste distinguished by the presence of walnuts, parsley, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.

In terms of its popularity, melizanosalata has long been on the heels of legendary salad with feta. dense delicious puree with an appetizing smell of fragrant herbs and garlic masterfully prepared by all chefs gastronomic establishments national cuisine. and other cities, pasta is served in small salad bowls, complementing the dish with hot pita bread.

Spanakopita (Σπανακόπιτα)

If you are wondering what to eat in Greece from the original local dishes, pay attention to spanakopita. The now popular recipe has come down to us unchanged since 1800. It was then that the inhabitants Orthodox monasteries started growing spinach. The plant was first used in medicinal purposes. Later, the novices' meals were supplemented by pies stuffed with healthy herbs.

Modern chefs prepare the famous spanakopita from the thinnest sheets phyllo pastry, laid in several layers and brushed with olive oil. Filled with onion, spinach, pine nuts and feta cheese. And do not be surprised if you find rice grains inside the pie - they do not allow the mass to spread, absorbing excess moisture.

Baklavas (Μπακλαβάς)

If you want to taste the most delicious Greek cuisine, do not forget about popular dessert baklavas. Sweetness appeared on the land of the Hellenes in the era of Turocracy - the time of the rule of the Ottoman Empire. It was in ancient Constantinople in the 15th century that Sultan Mehmet II was first served a crispy delicacy.

Delicious in Greece pastry prepared a little differently than in Turkey. A piece that melts in your mouth culinary arts, which includes chopped nuts, cinnamon and lemon juice, is poured abundantly here not with syrup, but with honey, which gives the sweet an amazing juiciness. In addition, small cakes are traditionally wrapped in 33 layers of filo dough - according to the number of earthly years of Jesus Christ.

Loukumades (Λουκουμάδες)

A story about the national sweet dishes of Greek cuisine would be incomplete without a description of loukoumades, a delicacy that has Arabic roots. However, over the years, a popular confection that resembles small ruddy donuts, has taken root on the shores of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, which has become an indispensable attribute of important holidays and folk festivals.

To prepare one of them, use yeast dough. Small balls are made from it and fried in a vat of hot oil. Then the delicacy is poured abundantly with honey and generously sprinkled with cinnamon and grated nuts.

In traditional taverns, loukoumades are served on special skewers, which implies the rejection of cutlery.

Vasilopita (Βασιλόπιτα)

When planning a winter trip and making a list of what to eat in Greece, do not forget about the popular sweet delicacy vasilopita. This rich yeast dough cake is prepared for the New Year. It received its name in honor of St. Basil the Great - Greek Santa Claus.

Vasilopita recipe options are many. But they all have one thing in common - the main dish. New Year's table contains grated orange peel, dried fruits and nuts. Before cooking, the housewives put a coin into the pie. The lucky one who finds a copper round in his portion will have happiness and good luck throughout the year.

The above dishes are only a hundredth part in the ocean of famous traditional delicacies countries. To replenish knowledge about Greek national dishes, the names of which can be listed endlessly, you will be helped by such famous dishes as vegetable stew spezofai (Σπετζοφάι), galaktobureko milk cake (Γαλακτομπούρεκο), fried lamb ribs paidaki (Παιδάκι), pork chops brizola (Μπριζόλα), meatballs keftedes (Κεφ τέδες), meat in a gyros (Γύρος) and corn cake kalo prama (Καλό Πράμα).

Ancient Hellas did not have many products typical of modern Greek cuisine. The ancient Greeks did not have tomatoes and lemons, or eggplants with sweet peppers. But the fundamental precepts of the culinary tradition of Greek cuisine remain unchanged today. First, it is impossible to imagine a Greek meal without the "holy triad" - bread and olives. And secondly, a real feast for the Greeks is not a simple process of eating delicious food. First of all, this Greek cuisine is a ritual.

Those gathered, tasting various dishes, talk a lot, of course, speak about dishes and exchange opinions. For the Greeks, it is of great importance what kind of olive oil was used, from which region of the country it was brought, in which village feta cheese was made, in which fields the lamb grazed. From such culinary discussions. The conversation flows smoothly to higher matters.

Greek cuisine is one of the oldest in the world. Of course, over the millennia, it has undergone numerous changes. The Middle Ages in Byzantium were distinguished by recipes unimaginable today. Something like tender fillet baby goat stuffed with figs, garlic, pomegranate seeds, leeks, seasoned honey sauce from marinated fish.

It is not surprising that in modern Greece no one cooks such dishes anymore, and does not eat. The Greeks returned to the simple, but really delicious meals. The true splendor of Greek cuisine lies precisely in the quality of the products and in the exact observance of the ingredients. Greek cooking is one of the many variants of the Mediterranean. Of course, it is impossible to imagine it without high-quality olive oil, fresh fish and seafood.

Greece, like all Mediterranean countries, is characterized by the consumption of a large amount of vegetables, fruits and herbs. But there are also significant differences. So beloved by Italians and French, raw crustaceans and mollusks are not particularly favored by Homer’s countrymen, not to mention eating raw meat - it is usually cooked for a long time, so you can’t count on a steak with blood in Greece. In addition, there are practically no complex sauces in Greek cuisine.

And in the 15th century, those expelled from Thessaloniki began to settle, and brought to the Greek local cuisine bright features of North African cuisine.

And in Greece itself, there are many regional options for one dish, due to climatic differences and lifestyles both in the continental part of the country and on numerous islands. The sunny climate of arid Crete has a completely different Greek cuisine than the snowy winters and wet summers of mountainous Epirus. In addition, Greek diasporas exist all over the world - in Europe, America, and Australia. And, of course, emigrants living abroad, but keeping in touch with their homeland, constantly bring something new to their native Greek cuisine.

Greek cuisine is characterized by the preparation of meat dishes on a spit and coals. Greeks eat many dishes cold, but tourist-oriented restaurants always serve hot. If the temperature of Greek cuisine food does not suit you, you can ask to heat it up. In Greek it sounds - zesto.

The Greeks are very sensitive about nutrition, so it is almost impossible to find frozen vegetables or semi-finished products. In Greece, Greek cuisine is always prepared with fresh ingredients! Regardless of social status, Greeks visit restaurants quite often. It has become part of their culture. The highest happiness for a Greek is the enjoyment of life, which is impossible without a good feast in the circle of the closest people, family and friends.

According to Greek law, every catering establishment is required to display its menu with fixed prices.

Bread is always served on the table, its price can be from thirty to ninety euro cents, this is determined by the category of the restaurant.

List of dishes and cheeses of Greek cuisine

Of course, it is not worth trying to describe here all the variety of national dishes of Greek cuisine, however, we hope that short review will be useful for novice tourists to navigate in Greek menu even though it's not easy!

• Choriatiki Salata is a traditional rustic salad Greek cuisine is better known to the world as "Greek Salad". This salad consists of fresh tomatoes and olives cucumbers, Feta cheese onions, and, of course, olive oil. Additionally, you can season with vinegar. In some variations of Greek cuisine, Feta may be omitted from the salad. If you are missing tender cheese ask the waiter to add it. In the event that you prefer a salad without any ingredients, also say so.
• Sadziki - Consists of mixed yogurt, cucumber, garlic and salt. Traditionally, Sadzik is served on Greek bread, freshly baked of course!
• Melitzana Salata - tender salad Greek cuisine of eggplant, which is placed on fresh bread.
• Tarama Salata is a very unusual Greek dish. Greek caviar.
• Saganaki is a toasted cheese that can be served with tomato sauce.
• Casseri is a soft cheese reminiscent of mozzarella in Greek cuisine.
• Kefalotiri is a type of hard cheese, somewhat reminiscent of parmesan.
• Dopio tiri is a type of homemade local cheese. You can find it in the villages.
• Keftedes are perfectly fried meatballs. In different areas of Greece there are regional variations in Greek cuisine: Keftedes and Rvitakeftedes, Domatokeftedes, Tirokeftedes and Fazakeftedes. Despite the different ingredients, the dish is always incomparable!
• Spanakopita is a traditional Greek spinach pie.
• Tiropita is a cheese pie.
• Kreatopita - meat pie
• Lakanika - Greek cuisine vegetable salad with cabbage.

Breakfast

In the old joke about the typical Greek breakfast, which consists of a cup strong coffee and two cigarettes, a lot of truth. Indeed, the Greeks have breakfast, usually coffee and cake. However, the hotels serve the usual Continental breakfast which includes tea, coffee, croissants, toast, is popular and Buffet. Some hotels serve an English breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.

Dinner

In Greece, lunch takes place from 13:00 - 15:00. Depending on your preferences, you can choose a full meal or skip light salad. Many Greeks consider dinner the main meal of the day.

Dinner

Traditionally, Greek dinner starts later than in European countries. Many Greeks absolutely do not think about food until nine in the evening. Given this specific national trait, most restaurants open their doors to visitors only at 20:00. Of course, in tourist centers dinner is served a little earlier.

Classification of Greek establishments

Tavernas is a "rustic" establishment, usually decorated in a rough traditional style. In the capital and large resort towns, taverns are more Europeanized. Usually the tavern menu with Greek dishes can be seen on the door at the entrance or in the window. However, many tavern owners will simply invite you into the kitchen to see for yourself what they can cook for you from Greek cuisine. Greeks also often look into the kitchen to see which version of the selected dish from Greek cuisine is prepared in this tavern.

The freshest fish is brought to seaside taverns early in the morning and in the middle of the day. Chefs, in front of perplexed tourists, beat freshly caught octopuses on the asphalt so that the meat in Greek dishes becomes more tender.

But even mountains of exotic Mediterranean prawns with lemon, fried octopus tentacles and stuffed squid in Greek cuisine, unable to cancel the ancient Greek culinary triad. Hot bread, fragrant olive oil and wine are certainly served at the table.

Most taverns open their doors to visitors no earlier than eight o'clock in the evening. It is explained simply. Greeks prefer a fairly late meal. Taverns close late at night, and often early in the morning. On Sunday the tavern may be closed. Emotional Greeks are not unreasonably known as big football fans, so if you decide to stop by the tavern on the day of the match, you should not expect very attentive service.

At Psistaria you can taste Greek kebabs, roast and meat fried in variations of Greek cuisine over an open fire.

The restaurant (estiatorio) offers a more elaborate menu than a tavern or psistary. Here, beautiful homespun tablecloths are on the tables, and the menu necessarily includes a version of Greek cuisine in English.

Ready meals are on display at the bain-marie, where you can also order grilled Greek dishes.

Ouzeri serves traditional ouzo. In Greece, drinking Ouzo is considered an art. The uzokatanixi ritual is very popular among the Greeks, and is gaining more and more popularity among travelers.

The literal translation of "Galaktopoleia" is a dairy shop. But it is here that you can buy products such as yogurt, milk, eggs, rice pudding, butter, bread and honey. In addition, here you can enjoy delicious homemade ice cream, which is usually presented different tastes. The inscription pagoto politiko on the door of the store will help you find out if it is for sale. In most of them you can enjoy a cup of coffee and tea. Also, they usually offer cheap breakfasts. Such shops are open from early morning until evening, and this, you see, is very convenient.

Zaharoplasteia sells Greek pastries and sweets, both Greek and European. Sweets, chocolate, sweets, biscuits, coffee, carbonated drinks, including soda - this is a typical assortment of zacharoplastia, in some you can buy alcoholic drinks in bottles. Usually there are seats.

Pizzerias and cafes (gelateries) that serve Italian ice cream are widespread throughout the country, but you can hardly find traditional Western restaurants outside the capital.

The Greeks like spicy herbs and spices, but they are used in smaller quantities than the Italians and the French. Traditional herbs in Greece are parsley and dill leaves, celery, thyme, rosemary and origan.

grown in Greece various varieties garlic and onion. The favorite sauces of the Greeks are ladolemono (it is olive oil thoroughly whipped with lemon), ladorigani (dry grated origan is added to olive oil) and avgolemono (egg yolks whipped with lemon and spices).
The first place in Europe, in terms of the amount of cheese consumed, belongs to the Greeks, they are even ahead of the Italians and the French. The cheese traditions of Greece are represented by many traditional cheeses. Among which are cow and buffalo, sheep and goat; hard and soft; delicately fresh and piquantly spicy. However, the most famous, of course, is Feta. Originally Greek cheese feta is a bit like cheese. The real one, made in Greece, is nothing like the German cheese of that name.

Another pride of Greece is reputed milk product- yaurti. Especially homemade, produced according to ancient technologies. It is light, but at the same time, oily.

Having much in common with culinary traditions Italy, the Balkan Peninsula, Israel, Turkey, Syria and Palestine. It has existed for more than 4 thousand years and is directly related to the history and culture of ancient Greece.

Today, Greek cuisine, as in antiquity, cannot be imagined without cereals, olive oil and wine, as well as vegetables (eggplants, zucchini), olives, cheese, fish and meat.

Features of Greek cuisine

In the Mediterranean cuisine of Greece, there are several characteristic features, which are based on the use of a certain list of products in the preparation of dishes.

1. Olive oil is an ingredient on which Greek cuisine stands. prepared without it, it is impossible to imagine. Olive oil is used as a dressing for salads, added to vegetable, meat, fish dishes and in baking. It is made from olive trees growing in Greece and makes national Greek dishes special in taste.
2. Vegetables - fresh or baked, they are present in almost every dish. Especially commonly used fresh tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, Green pepper, onions, and olives.
3. Spices are used more in Greek cooking than in any other Mediterranean cuisine. In Greece, the most common are oregano, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, basil, thyme, and fennel. Interestingly, in the preparation of meat dishes, spices characteristic of desserts (for example, cinnamon) are used.
4. Cheeses - feta, kasseri, kefalotiri, ladotiri. They are served as an appetizer fresh, are added to salads and popular vegetable, meat and pasta casseroles.
5. Cereals - most often wheat is used in cooking, less often barley. From wheat flour they make thin and also bake the famous Greek desserts from it.

Popular Greek dishes: names

Some Greek dishes have a lot in common with those prepared on the Mediterranean coast. These include pastitsio (pastitsio). This Greek dish is an analogue Italian lasagna, but instead of layers of dough, long ziti pasta tubes are used. Or, for example, dolmades is an analogue of dolma (minced meat in grape leaves), which is widespread among the peoples of Transcaucasia.

But Greek cuisine has its own traditions. It is difficult to imagine Greek cuisine without the national dish Chaniotiko Boureki. These are potato slices baked with zucchini, myzithra cheese and mint. Also in Greece, pies are traditionally prepared, using the thinnest filo or puff pastry for this, in which the most different stuffing. The most popular pies in Greek cuisine are spinakopita and kotopita (chicken pie).

Love in Greece and soups. For example, lean fasolada soup based on white beans and tomatoes is often prepared here, or magiritsa is a traditional Easter soup that the Greeks cook on Holy Saturday.

All Greek dishes, the recipes of which are presented below, are hearty and easy to prepare. Mandatory ingredients included in their composition, such as olive oil and vegetables, make dishes not only tasty, but also healthy.

Greek cuisine: national dishes. meze

All tourists who come to Greece, and especially to the island of Crete, are recommended to try meze. But not all of the visiting guests know what it is.

Meze are appetizers, that is, Greek cuisine dishes that are not served to the table in portions, but in such a way that everyone can put any of them on their plate. The composition of the meze usually includes olives and feta cheese, stuffed grape leaves (dolmades), meatballs, grilled octopus, pickled vegetables, etc. The list, as well as the number of dishes, can be very diverse.

Traditionally served as meze are tahini (a creamy sauce made from sesame seeds), lukanina (Cypriot sausages with coriander), halloumi (soft cheese made from sheep or goat milk with mint), stifado (beef with spices in wine vinegar), souffláki (finely chopped barbecue), etc.

Traditional Greek Salad

Greek, or gained popularity not only in Greece itself, but also in most other countries of the world. It is prepared from tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce leaves, red onion, olives and feta. Olive oil is traditionally used as a dressing, as well as vinegar or lemon juice.

Light Greek salad is especially popular among all adherents of a healthy diet.

Moussaka

Almost all Greek recipes use vegetables. Moussaka, a Greek eggplant dish, is especially popular with the Greeks. It consists of baked layers: the first is eggplant with olive oil, the second is minced lamb and beef with tomatoes, and the third is a cheese sauce that tastes like bechamel. All layers (as in climbing) are stacked alternately.

The Greek eggplant dish is baked in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Served warm.

Spanakopita (Spanakopita)

The preparation of this traditional Greek pie begins with the preparation of a juicy filling. To do this, onions are fried in olive oil. Spinach (250 g), parsley, green onion feathers, feta cheese (400 g), as well as salt to taste and nutmeg on a knife edge are added to it.

While the filling is cooling, it is necessary to divide and roll out the dough into two thin layers. Distribute the first part along the bottom of the mold, greased with butter so as to cover not only the bottom of the mold, but also close the sides. Put all the filling on top and cover with another layer of dough, cut exactly to the size of the form. Connect the edges of the dough together. The top layer of the pie, before sending it to the oven, prick with a fork in several places. Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.

Fasolada: lean Greek soup

This soup is especially loved by vegetarians, because it is prepared exclusively from ingredients. plant origin. The main components of such a Greek dish are white beans, tomatoes or tomato and celery. All ingredients for the soup are fried alternately in olive oil: first onion, carrot, celery stalk, then pre-cooked beans and tomato puree from 0.5 kg of tomatoes. After that, the preparation of vegetables is transferred to the pan, poured vegetable broth, and cook everything together for another 10 minutes. lean soup ready.

Fasolada is served hot or cold. Before serving, the soup is seasoned with olive oil, black ground pepper and dried herbs.

Pastitsio, or lasagna in Greek

The classic pastitsio recipe is layers of ziti pasta with beef and lamb meat sauce, white bechamel sauce and cheese crust.

This Greek dish is prepared in the following sequence:

1. Grease a 9x13 cm baking dish with butter.
2. Prepare meat sauce. To do this, in olive oil (3 tablespoons), first fry onions (2 pcs.), Then garlic (4 cloves). After 1 minute, add 2 types of minced meat (beef and lamb) and fry it until browned. After that, you can add the rest of the ingredients: chopped tomatoes (4 pcs.), tomato paste(2 tablespoons), parsley. You will also need spices: salt (1 ½ tsp), pepper, sugar (½ tsp), cinnamon stick, bay leaf. The sauce will be ready when all the liquid has evaporated (after about 1 hour).
3. Boil 450 g of pasta until half cooked.
4. Prepare bechamel by frying first butter flour (½ cup). Then pour 4 cups of milk into the pan and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes. After that, remove the sauce from the heat, add salt (1 teaspoon), white pepper and nutmeg.
5. Assemble the pastitsio in layers. The first layer is pasta mixed with egg and parmesan. The second layer is meat sauce, and the third is white sauce. Sprinkle the top of the dish with Parmesan mixed with a small amount breadcrumbs.

Pastitsio is baked in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 45 minutes - 1 hour.

Galaktobureko - semolina milk cake

The filling for this pie is thick semolina. But it turns out so tasty that semolina is not felt at all. It tastes more like tender custard with a light citrus note.

The filling for the pie is located between the layers of filo dough, the top layer of which, after baking in the oven, is filled with sweet citrus syrup made from lemon juice, sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves and honey. The pie is served cold, pre-cut into slices. portioned pieces square shape.