Greek Cooking

Some common ingredients in Greek Cooking could be cheeses, oils, fruits, nuts, eggplant, zucchini, fresh herbs such as basil or oregano. Fish, seafood and lamb are commonly used in Greek Cooking.

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Food Facts about Greece

• The tall white chef hat originated from Greece
• Greece is know for growing olive and lemon trees
• Sheep and goats thrive on the rocky and mountainous country which is why dishes often use lamb instead of other meat
  

Greece is also Known for Several Famous Things Besides Great Food:

• There are 2,000 major islands of Greece
• Many Beautiful beaches

Learn a Little Language

• Little snacks or appetizers are called mezethes.
• Pronounced Kali Orexi in Greek means Bon Appetit.
  

Greek Cooking International Recipes

Greek Salad

• Feta cheese
• Chopped fresh tomatoes
• Chopped cucumbers
• Black olives
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon vinegar
• Black pepper

Arrange tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and feta cheese in bowl. Toss together gently and pour olive oil and vinegar over top. Season with pepper.

Cucumber Gyro Sandwich Recipe

• 1 lb. pork loin or chicken breasts, cut into cubes or strips
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1/4 Cup lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoons mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• dash of salt and pepper

Mix oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper together in a bowl or Ziploc baggie. Add meat and marinade several hours.

Yogurt Dressing

• 1 Cup plain yogurt
• 1 cucumber chopped in food processor
• ½ teaspoon crushed garlic
• ½ teaspoon dill weed

Add ingredients together and chill in refrigerator.

Prepare the marinated meat and yogurt dressing and store in fridge in the morning.

Before dinner cook meat and place in pita bread or top a salad. Top with cucumber yogurt dressing.

Greek Spanakopitas (Spinach Puffs)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped or grated
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 lb feta cheese
• 6 ounces cottage cheese
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 lb phyllo pastry sheets
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

In large pan sauté onion in olive oil. Squeeze excess water out of spinach. Add to onions. Cook over low heat several minutes. Crumble feta cheese in medium bowl. Add in cottage cheese and eggs. Stir in breadcrumbs and spinach mixture into cheese. Stir together until well combined. Cut phyllo sheets into squares of 4-5 inches. Cover sheets that you are not using to prevent them from drying. With pastry brush, brush melted butter over each square, layer several squares together and add a spoonful of spinach filling to middle. Fold top over in a triangle shape. Brush tops with butter and place on a cookie sheet. Continue with remaining phyllo sheets and spinach filling. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Greek Baklava

A famous Greek cooking recipe that is also famous in Middle Eastern cooking.

• phyllo pastry sheets
• 1 cup butter, melted
• ¾ Cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• ½ Cup water
• ¼ Cup lemon juice
• ¼ Cup honey
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Grease a 8x11 pan and layer several sheets of phyllo in bottom, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Cover sheets that you are not using to prevent them from drying. In bowl mix ¼ cup sugar, walnuts and cinnamon together. Sprinkle mixture over top of phyllo sheets in pan. Add remaining sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Cut squares through layers of sheets and then diagonally through each square. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown.
Before baklava is done cooking make the sauce. In saucepan add water, lemon juice, honey and vanilla. Bring to a boil and continue stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour over hot baklava.

Greek Souvlaki

This Greek cooking recipe is a great tasting shish kabob. Pork is used for this recipe but you can substitute beef or chicken if desired.

• 1/4 Cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs pork tenderloins, cut in cubes
• 2 onions, cut in chunks
• 2 green or red bell peppers, cut in chunks
• wooden skewers -soak before using to prevent burning

In ziploc bag add lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano and minced garlic. Add pork cubes, onion chunks and pepper chunks. Seal and marinade in the fridge overnight or several hours. Place meat and vegetables on skewers and grill.

Cooking Around the World Studies

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Related Cooking around World Pages: ~International Cooking for Kids, ~American, ~Asian, ~British, ~Eastern Europe, ~French, ~Greece, ~India, ~Irish, ~Italy, ~Mexico, ~Middle East, ~South Africa, ~Southern USA ~World Studies Unit

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