Greek Recipes

      Karydópita is one of those desserts that really smell like Christmas. It is a spiced walnut cake soaked in syrup and versions of it are found all over Greece. Almost every home cook has his or her own version using different proportions of the same ingredients, or using different basic ingredients; some prefer finely grated dry breadcrumbs instead of flour! This version is really fluffy but calls for too many eggs.       The recipe I am giving you is the one my grandmother used to make and happens to be my favorite. It is the recipe we still use to make the karydópita we serve at the tavern. Karydópita : For 24 squares (I use a 23x33cm baking pan) 150gr butter softened 250gr granulated sugar 4 eggs (yolks separated from whites) 200gr lukewarm milk 250gr self-raising cake flour ½ tsp baking soda 50gr semolina flour (semolina absorbs the syrup, keeping the cake moist) 170gr finely chopped walnuts ½ tsp salt 1tsp   5 spice mix or cinnamon and clove mix For the syrup : 700gr granula

      Sifnos , located in the south Aegean sea, is a beautiful island famous for its ceramic workshops; ceramic bowls, plates, vases and cooking pots that bake wonderful oven stews.      Al though it can be also found in other Aegean islands, honey pie is famous as a specialty of Sifnos. It is one of those traditional desserts made with simple ingredients found in any agricultural community: homemade myzithra cheese, honey (μέλι) from their own bees and free range eggs. These ingredients were enough to make people creative and turn an old fashioned cheesecake into something we may nowadays call a gourmet dessert. The addition of more honey and some cinnamon when served makes it even more impressive.      Myzithra (also called anthótyro)  is a low fat soft and fresh cheese made from both goat and sheep's milk, but if you can't find it abroad it could be substituted by Italian ricotta cheese with similar results. Melópita Serves 6 I used a 20cm,  round baking pan 600gr soft my