A classic traditional dessert made with kadaifi pastry, cheese, and plenty of Aegina pistachios. The cheese used is peyniri*. It is eaten warm, plain or with a scoop of kaymak ice cream on top.

Ingredients:

500g kadaifi pastry

150g melted unsalted butter

400g peyniri cheese

300g sugar

200g water

½ tsp ground mastic gum

½ lemon

200g crushed Aegina pistachios

It's impossible for my home not to have these crispy, fragrant, delicious cinnamon cookies for every hour and moment. I love cinnamon and cloves, and these scents are always present in my home, from essential oils to candles and creams, etc. Although cinnamon cookies remind many people of Christmas, personally, I distinguish them because during those days we enrich them with other spices like ginger, cardamom, etc. So, if you're a cinnamon lover, you've found your ideal cookies! If you sprinkle them with brown sugar on top, you'll remember those beloved cookies that are served with coffee, yes...those tiny ones that are never enough! That's why we'll make them hearty and truly enjoy them!

Our ingredients:

500g sifted all-purpose flour

2 eggs (150g)

125g room temperature butter

200g sugar

2 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

Optional: crystallized brown sugar for sprinkling

One of the many dishes/desserts I learned in Thessaloniki, where I lived for many years, was Barbara. Barbara is boiled wheat with nuts, spices, and sometimes dried winter fruits (usually apples), traditionally prepared on the eve or day of St. Barbara. In Athens, at that time, we had never heard of it. However, my memory brings back my mother, who would add some boiled wheat and nuts to our kollyva, calling it "kollyvozoumo" (kollyva mixture).
It is a custom for housewives to exchange Barbara among households, as a way to receive the blessing of St. Barbara and protect their children from illnesses caused by the cold. Alongside a very skilled housewife and cook, my mother-in-law, I learned the famous Barbara. Over the years, I have replaced sugar with other sweeteners such as honey, grape molasses, and recently experimented with fig syrup, which gives it a more aromatic taste. This year, I added a little fig syrup and brown sugar. The choice of sweetener is purely a matter of personal taste. If you prefer less sweetness, you can reduce the amount of sweetener used.

Ingredients:
• 350g peeled wheat
• 3 tbsp roasted flour
• 50g fig syrup
• 50g brown sugar
• 5-6 dried figs, chopped
• 5-6 dried apricots
• 1/2 cup peeled and chopped almonds
• 1.2 cups broken walnuts
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds
• A pinch of salt

Lenten flomeres, an easy, quick, and budget-friendly treat, perfect for gatherings or satisfying your sweet tooth at home. These stuffed pastries are not only delicious but loved by everyone since they're filled with loukoumi (Turkish delight) and nuts. Serve them with a glass of cold water next to your coffee. They are purely a summery delight, and the recipe has a monastic origin. You'll typically find them during the fasting period of the Virgin Mary. Whether syrup-soaked or plain with powdered sugar and cinnamon, they are irresistible!

Ingredients:
• 1 package of phyllo dough sheets
• 1 package of loukoumi (symis island delight) in various flavors (500g)
• 150g crystallized sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Walnuts or almonds
• Cinnamon
• Sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp blossom water

An incredibly easy cake that everyone loves. The kids will go crazy over it, and the adults will try their best not to have another slice!! And it's so simple...you don't need a special occasion to make it! Let's celebrate every day by enjoying this delicious bunuelo cake!

Ingredients:

• 20 bunuelo sticks
• 300g hazelnut praline
• 500g whipped cream
• 1 cocoa sponge cake (cut in half)
• Chocolate syrup

Cocoa Syrup (for the sponge cake):

• 30g cognac
• 100g sugar
• 2 cups water
• 40g cocoa powder

• Mix all the ingredients and boil for 10 minutes.

Can Christmas be complete without melomakarona? So, let's fill the house with the aroma of the most delicious melomakarona, filled with fragrances and a hidden whole walnut in the center!!!

Ingredients:
1 kilogram all-purpose flour
250 grams vegetable oil (for a fluffy texture)
250 grams olive oil (for its aroma)
50 grams cognac
180 grams orange juice
200 grams sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of nutmeg
Zest from 2 oranges
250 grams walnuts (50 grams crushed for the end)
100 grams Aegina pistachios, crushed

For the syrup:
500 grams sugar
500 grams water
500 grams thyme honey
Zest from 1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves

Don't be afraid at all!!! It's very easy and very quick!! You can make it and decorate cakes with all your imagination and passion!!! The ingredients we will need are:
1 kilogram of powdered sugar
2 packets of 10g gelatin
1 tsp glycerin (edible, from the pharmacy)
½ cup of glucose
 ? cup of water
2 vanilla extracts

Get ready for a sweet and enchanting taste experience with this recipe! This recipe will take you on a journey to a world filled with aromas and flavors from the very first bite. The result is a sweet masterpiece that will create a unique atmosphere and immerse you in the joy of the holiday season. It's the perfect festive treat that is simply... delightful!

Our Ingredients:

• A batch of chocolate sponge cake

For the Filling:

Pat-a-Pompe Mousse

• 100g egg yolks
• 100g sugar
• 40ml water
• 500g whipped cream
• 350g melted dark chocolate

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they start to whiten. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water, and heat until it reaches a light syrup consistency. Slowly pour the syrup into the mixing bowl with the yolks, whisking continuously. Incorporate the whipped cream gently, being careful not to deflate it, and add the melted chocolate, stirring gently.

For the Finishing Touch:

• Chocolate Anglaise Cream
• 200g milk
• 200g cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 chocolate bar
• 125g sugar
• ? tsp salt

Chocolate Melomakarona Are you a fan of melomakarona? Do you also love chocolate? Well, here I have the most delightful recipe for delicious chocolate melomakarona.

Ingredients:

1 kg all-purpose flour

250g vegetable oil

250g olive oil

50g cognac

180g orange juice

200g sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 whole cloves

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

A pinch of nutmeg

Zest of 2 oranges

250g walnuts

For the syrup:

500g sugar

500g water

500g thyme honey

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cinnamon stick

3-4 cloves

For the topping:

250g dark chocolate

250g white chocolate

250g milk chocolate

Whole and crushed walnuts

The most famous dessert which is the symbol of New Year's Day and the first sweet we eat after the New Year. According to Christian tradition, the governor of Cappadocia asked the residents to collect taxes. The residents were afraid because they were poor, so they asked for protection from the then bishop Basil. He reassured them and told them to gather whatever valuable items they had and to give them instead of the taxes to the Governor, which they did. Bishop Basil spoke to the Governor and convinced him not to accept anything from the poor residents, and thus he did not take anything. However, it was impossible to return to each person the items they had offered, so pies were made where each person's contribution was hidden inside. Miraculously, the pies contained what each person had offered to the Governor! Since then, we celebrate the Vasilopita (St. Basil's pie) with a coin inside, which gave it its name, and it can be found in many variations depending on the local customs of each region. The most popular variations are as a cake or traditional sweet bread (tsoureki). A coin or a small branch of an olive tree or a fruit tree, depending on the region, is placed inside the dough, and whoever finds it is believed to have good luck for the year.

The recipe is provided for a 27cm pan and a 34cm pan.

Ingredients:

For a 27cm pan:

• 200g lukewarm water
• 25g fresh yeast or 2 sachets of dry yeast
• 68g fresh butter
• 180g sugar
• 75g eggs
• 3g mastic
• 3g cinnamon
• 2g Chios mastic gum
• 600g strong flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

For a 34cm pan:

• 400g water
• 50g fresh yeast
• 135g fresh butter
• 360g sugar
• 150g eggs
• 1100g strong flour (maybe a bit more)
• 5g mastic
• 5g cinnamon
• 4g Chios mastic gum
• 1/2 tsp salt

For decoration:

• 1 egg white for brushing
• Dark chocolate for decoration
• Sliced almonds

Fantastic melomakarona filled with aromas, to which we will add a little figto the syrup and this hint of fig molasses   will bring out all the spices. The house will smell amazing!!!!!

Our ingredients:

1,200g flour

250g olive oil

250g vegetable oil

270g orange juice

120g sugar

80g cognac

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp clove powder

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Zest of one orange

250g chopped walnuts for sprinkling

100g Aegina pistachios for sprinkling

For the syrup:

500g sugar

600g water

380g thyme honey

70g CUMA fig molasses

1 lemon peel

1 cinnamon stick

6-7 cloves

Who doesn't have memories of the unique custom of Vasilopita (Greek New Year's cake)? Who doesn't reminisce about their childhood upon hearing the word Vasilopita, recalling gatherings with beloved people, laughter, joy, and festivities? And the time changes, counting down... 10, 9, 8... 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Hugs, kisses, songs, and our beloved Vasilopita takes its place on the festive table. We cross it three times and start cutting... for Christ, for the house, for the poor (some cut it for the Virgin Mary, St. Basil, etc.), and then the sharing of the pieces begins, accompanied by joy and anticipation: Who will get the lucky coin this year? We all sit silently in our places, examining our piece, until suddenly we hear... "I FOUND IT!!!" and wishes start flowing from our family and loved ones. The small piece of the precious Vasilopita is usually wrapped in aluminum foil and kept for the morning, to be enjoyed with coffee as a way to start the new year with flavors and aromas that will bring us good luck.

Today, we will make an easy Vasilopita with walnuts, almonds, and Aegina pistachios. However, since some housewives have a baking dish with a diameter of 27cm, while others have a round baking dish with a diameter of 34cm, I will provide two measurements so you can make the Vasilopita that suits your needs.

For a 34cm baking dish:

• 1 self-rising flour (self-raising flour)
• 250g fresh butter
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 eggs
• 100g broken walnuts
• 20g broken Aegina pistachios
• 20g broken almonds
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Orange zest
• 1 packet baking powder

For a 27cm baking dish:

• 380g self-rising flour
• 190g fresh butter
• 150g orange juice
• 150g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 75g broken walnuts
• 20g broken Aegina pistachios
• 20g broken almonds
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• Orange zest
• 2 tsp baking powder

Easter cookies, fragrant, fluffy, and very tasty, that will grace our festive table and accompany our coffee. Personally, I like to make these cookies relatively small, with attention to detail, cute enough to place on a saucer next to our coffee or on a plate where they will look like decorations with their various shapes.

Our Ingredients:

100g butter (room temperature)

100g margarine (room temperature)

130g sugar 35g milk (room temperature)

1 egg (room temperature) + 2 egg yolks for brushing

450g all-purpose flour

8g baking powder

1 vanilla bean

Orange zest (optional)

Christmas hot wine We always make this wine and keep it near the fireplace to keep it warm. So during these festive days, we have our characteristic drink that... let's be honest... our memories are full of images, flavors, and aromas of these days. So it's easy, fragrant, and you can adjust it to your taste!

Ingredients:

800g red wine

Juice of 1 juicy organic unwaxed orange

Orange peel

2 sticks of Ceylon cinnamon

3 pieces of star anise

2 pieces of broken nutmeg

5-6 pieces of cloves

3 tablespoons of thyme honey

Ferrero Rocher-style Chocolate Balls:

Delicious Ferrero Rocher-style chocolate balls that will impress and delight you. They are very easy to make with just 3 ingredients!!! Yes, yes!!! Find me a reason now why you shouldn't have these amazing chocolates at home to enjoy!

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

200g hazelnut wafer cookies

260g hazelnuts

250g Nutella-style praline spread

The traditional Kimi kourabiedes with their distinctive finger-like shape, as they have been made by generations of housewives from Kythnos. The recipe is passed down from grandmother to granddaughter.

Ingredients:

½ kilogram powdered sugar

250 grams butter (fresh, from Epirus, Corfu, etc.)

200 grams granulated sugar

250 grams coarse chopped and toasted almonds

3 vanilla pods + 1 in the powdered sugar (capsules)

1 kilogram all-purpose flour

A little rosewater

Fasting Christmas cookies are a delicious and healthy option for those who follow the Orthodox faith, as they are made with ingredients that do not contain yeast, milk, or eggs. Their preparation is simple and will add a sweet note to your table, especially during Christmas or Easter holidays. Follow our instructions and enjoy these tasty cookies that are easy to prepare and will surely become favorites for your family.

Our Ingredients:

900g flour

100g olive oil

150g vegetable oil

300g orange juice

180g powdered sugar (inside the mixture) and we will need the rest of the bag for sprinkling 150g coarsely chopped almonds

40g cognac

1 tsp baking soda

2 vanilla beans + 1 in powder form (capsules) confectioner's

sugar for dusting

Christmas is coming, and we prepare the house, decorate it, and of course, the dessert plates will have their special place! And here we reach the point where every Greek household has its little battle every year: Kourabiedes or Melomakarona? For me, ever since I was little, it's always been Kourabiedes! So, let's make the most fluffy and delicious ones, with whole almonds inside, Kourabiedes!!!!!

Ingredients:

950 grams all-purpose flour

500 grams fresh butter

1 egg yolk

2 vanilla pods

250 grams powdered sugar

½ shot glass of cognac

200 grams blanched almonds

Rosewater for spraying at the end

Powdered sugar for dusting

Exquisite, refreshing, tasty, simple – this countryside salad encompasses all of Greece in a single dish. Our ingredients are well-known, varying slightly from place to place and village to village, yet each location shares a common foundation while incorporating local produce.
Accepted even by dieticians as a complete meal, the countryside salad becomes a beloved dish for both adults and children alike. It stands as a quintessential symbol of Greece, alongside souvlaki and fasolada, recognized worldwide as the most photographed "Greek salad."
Rooted in the past, the origins of this salad trace back to times of austerity when Greeks, using a handkerchief tied at its four corners (referred to as a "disaki"), would pack 2 slices of bread, a tomato, a bit of cucumber, 3-5 olives, and a slice of onion. These items accompanied them to work, construction sites, or the countryside. Taverns of that era, modest and frugal, adopted these ingredients and with a touch of olive oil, created this salad. The more fortunate would add cheese (feta).
Every region, every corner of Greece has its own version of the countryside salad, utilizing ingredients in abundance. In Mani, they might add purslane; in Pelion, tsitsiravla; in Crete, barley rusks and a touch of wild chicory; in Macedonia, it might be embellished with eggs; and on the islands, marinated sardines could adorn it.
However we encounter it, in whatever variation, this salad will always remind us of Greece!

Our Ingredients

2-3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 cucumber, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

200g Greek feta cheese

1 green bell pepper, sliced

2 tbsp capers

20g purslane

3 tbsp olives

Olive oil

Salt, pepper, oregano

Mediterranean Dish the origins of this dish come to us from the shores of Valencia, where the country's endless rice paddies produce a variety of rice similar to Carolina rice.

The dish took its name from a two-handled pan used to cook the food, known as "paella." There is no single standard recipe for paella, as it varies greatly. You can find it with seafood, fish, legumes, vegetables, meat, but always with rice as the base.

Their main spice was saffron, which is often economically substituted with turmeric for color and aroma.

The most common paella that has become prevalent is made with seafood and chicken.

Ingredients

300 g Carolina rice
300 g peeled shrimp
½ kg mussels, washed and beards removed
250 g chicken breast fillet, cut into small pieces
2 squid or cuttlefish, cut into rings or pieces
1 dry onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
30 g white wine
Parsley, finely chopped
Vegetable broth, hot + 2 pinches of saffron for more color and aroma
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

SHRIMP PASTA
If you are aficionados of seafood flavors and seek a meal that merges simplicity with luxury, shrimp pasta is the quintessential recipe for you. Envision tender, succulent shrimps that perfectly embrace your al dente pasta, whilst a delicate tomato sauce showcases the ocean's freshness. Each forkful is a voyage to the sea, where the simplicity of the ingredients meets sophisticated taste on a plate that beckons your palate to an unforgettable culinary waltz.

Our ingredients:

8-10 medium or large shrimps
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic
1 shot of ouzo
100 g of fresh tomatoes, grated, peeled, and seeds removed
2 tbsp chopped basil
500 g of your favorite pasta
Salt, pepper, chili flakes, sugar

An easy and tasty recipe with a family table aroma!

We grew up with hilopites, eagerly anticipating family meals where the house smelled of meat sauce and fresh favorite pasta!

In this recipe,i give you a different approach to classic pasta, made in a traditional way.

It's a dish that, for some of us, brings back memories of the village!

Ingredients

500 g country-style sausages
1 green and 1 red bell pepper
1 dry onion, finely chopped
1 leek, cut into very thin slices diagonally
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 concasse tomato or regular tomatoes
250 g strained yogurt
A little white wine
500 g hilopites (Greek egg pasta)
Salt, pepper, thyme

Special Appetizer αlthough most people associate it with Easter, many enjoy this dish all year round. Especially when the one who prepares it knows the "tricks," then we are talking about an incredible delicacy…!!!

Ingredients

1.5 lamb liver sets
3 medium-sized lamb intestines
Lemons
Salt, pepper
Oregano
Olive oil
Tip: Generally, we keep the ratio of 2 intestines for every 1 liver set.

Embark on a magical culinary journey with the recipe for Perka plaki with tomatoes! This dish is bursting with character, aromas, and impressive flavors that will captivate you from the first bite.
With thick potato slices, fresh onions, aromatic garlic, carrots, and an amazing tomato sauce, this recipe offers an alternative taste experience that will delight your senses.
With an easy and straightforward preparation method, you can savor this fragrant dish that combines freshness and quality in every mouthful.
Indulge in the harmony of flavors and the pleasure that this recipe provides. Let yourself immerse in the experience and the feeling of creating something exceptional and enjoyable in your kitchen.
Take a deep breath and relish in the magic of Perka plaki with tomatoes!

Ingredients:
• 1-1.200g frozen perch fillets
• 5 potatoes, thinly sliced (1.5-2cm thickness)
• 3 onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• ½ bunch of parsley, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes or 2-3 tomatoes processed in a blender
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper