Greek Recipes

   The first day we would go to our summer house, my mother always had to do a lot of cleaning, so there wasn't much time for cooking - Scordomacárona was the answer!    This simple pasta made with tomato paste is probably the first dish I ever learned to cook, because it’s easy to prepare and very tasty at the same time. We use tomato paste a lot In Greece and a can of it is always available in every household fridge. Santorini island makes a very special paste because they use the local heirloom ‘dry’ tomatoes which are grown in the volcanic soil of the island without ever being watered.  The plant absorbs water from the night breeze which brings moisture from the sea. Its taste is unique but the limited production makes it a bit difficult to find. Serves 4-5 500gr spaghetti 6Tsps olive oil 4 garlic cloves 3Tsps tomato paste 1Tsp sugar (or to taste) salt and pepper to taste Cook spaghetti in boiling water with salt to your taste (either al dente or more). Strain it, discard the

       This classic beef stew with tomato sauce is usually served with pasta or fried potatoes. However, in hot weather there are many tasty seasonal vegetables that can take the place of pasta and fried potatoes making a lighter dish with a summer touch.       The stew can be made with beef or with any other meat or poultry. Zucchinis, eggplants, sweet peppers and potatoes( or carrots) are the most popular summer vegetables chosen for this dish.        We usually serve kokkinisto with graviera cheese as a side dish. It is a lightly salted yellow hard cheese with a sweet aftertaste. If you can't find graviera, then gruyere could be a good choice. Serves 4 1kg fillet of beef, top loin or sirloin 150gr olive oil 300gr chopped ripe tomatoes 1 Tsp tomato paste (optional) 1 Tsp sugar 1 medium onion, chopped 1-2 garlic cloves chopped 1 cinnamon stick Salt and pepper to taste 1 litre hot water 2 small zucchinis 1 medium eggplant 1-2 sweet red peppers 1 medium potato (or 2 carrots)  150gr

            Eggplants are the basic ingredient of many summer dishes; they make wonderful combinations with tomato, garlic, onion, peppers, basil and many other summer vegetables, all producing very tasty dishes.      Today we harvested the first eggplants of the season and the best way to taste them without too much cooking is melitzanosalảta , a spread made with roasted eggplants, olive oil, vinegar and just an idea of garlic. Roasted red peppers can  also be added for extra color and sweetness. This vegan version is called agioritiki and takes its name from the monks’ community of Athos peninsula ( Agio Oros ). The addition of yogurt or mayonnaise does give a rich taste but one closer to what you find in the store bought melitzanosalata. Enough for 2 2 medium size eggplants 4tbsp olive oil vinegar to taste a small garlic clove or less 1tbsp chopped parsley salt and pepper to taste       The best way to roast your eggplants is to cook them unpeeled on the grill; it doesn't matt