From mid-December and up until after the New Year we usually keep on the festive table nuts and dried fruit, plus melomakarona and kourabiedes.  

Wikipedia refers also to the Sephardic Jewish tradition to serve various nuts, candied and dried fruits during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.  Catalans and Armenians share similar traditions.

When I first read a description of this traditional festive bread I was surprised by the amount of olive oil it contains. I looked up many French recipes and they all agreed that for each pound of flour there should be one full cup of olive oil added. There were few minor differences in the aromatics among the recipes, with some suggesting just a few aniseeds, and others a lot more –I chose to follow the latter.Some also had orange blossom water along with orange or lemon zest, which I preferred to leave out. Some recent version substituted butter for the olive oil (!) and also had egg in the dough. The recipe Saveur published in 2007 has no aromatics at all, and significantly more sugar; the headnote describes it as ‘a cross between a brioche and a focaccia.’ There is also a crunchy version of the Pompe a l’ Huile, which is baked in a low oven until completely dry.

Part of the traditional Christmas table in Provence this delicious olive oil bread is supposed to be torn into pieces with the hands and never cut with a knife. Pompe a l’ Huile is served along with twelve more desserts on Christmas Eve on the festive tables all around the Mediterranean coast of France. The thirteen sweetmeats include various dried fruits –figs, different kinds of grapes, plums etc.—candied pears and apples, as well as oranges and other citrus fruits, cookies, and nougat.

It is an old Mediterranean tradition to have different kinds of sweets on display during the end of the year holidays, supposedly to placate kalikantzaroi, the  malevolent goblins. In Greece we also keep on the table nuts and dried fruit, plus melomakarona and kourabiedes from mid-December and up until after the New Year. 

RECIPE: Pompe a l ‘Huile: Festive Bread from Provence

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Chef Uri Eshet at Kea Retreat serves the packages with sliced figs; you can pair them with other fresh, seasonal fruit and/or with fruit preserves. Drizzle with honey or any syrup, and sprinkled with sesame seeds or nigella, if you like.

I bet that this easy, convenient, and delicious morsel, whipped up with commercial phyllo, will become your next favorite appetizer.  The pieces are quite filling, so one per person is enough.

To make 9 feta-phyllo packages

About 1 pound feta, or more, cut into somewhat less than 1 cm (about 1/3-inch) slices –no need for perfect slices, it doesn’t matter if fata breaks into smaller pieces

6 sheets phyllo dough, preferably thick

1/3 cup or more Olive Oil, as needed, to brush the phyllo

Honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup for drizzling

1/3 cup Sesame or Nigella seeds to sprinkle (optional)

Fresh mint leaves, for serving

Spread a piece of parchment paper on a light a cutting board that can be transferred to the freezer.

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on the work surface and brush with olive oil. Place another sheet of phyllo on top of the first, brushing with olive oil as before.

Cut the sheets crosswise in two and then cut each half lengthwise into three equal strips.

You now have 6 strips, each about 3 inches wide. (Note: When working with phyllo, keep the sheets covered and moist. To do so, stack the phyllo sheets on a work surface and cover with plastic wrap and then a damp kitchen towel.)

Place 1 or more pieces of feta, to make about a 7 cm (3-inch) square on one end of a phyllo strip. Gently roll it over to wrap the cheese in phyllo. The wrapped piece will have two exposed sides. Now place it on a second strip of phyllo and roll up to completely encase the feta in phyllo.

Repeat with the remaining feta slices and phyllo. Lightly brush the tops with olive oil and transfer to the freezer. After 24 hours you can transfer the frozen, hard phyllo packages to a zip log bag. They keep for up to 4 months.

Just when you want to serve, brush a nonstick skillet with olive oil, heat it and fry the packages about 3 minutes on each side, until well browned. Serve immediately drizzled with honey or any syrup, and sprinkled with seeds, if you like, and fresh mint leaves.  

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The cookies are deep-flavored and delicious. The grape must is boiled down to become thick petimezi (grape molasses) an pantry item in most traditional homes. Syrupy petimezi is diluted with an equal amount of water to make the cookies.

Grape must cookies, right, and Orange Koulourakia, left. 

The sweetness of the petimezi determines their taste, as moustokouloura have no additional sugar.  Commercial moustokouloura are usually large, but the homemade ones are smaller.

See also the Ginger and Grape Molasses cookies, my variation of the Ginger Snap ones.

To get 2 1/2 cups traditional petimezi (grape molasses) you need to simmer for about 1 hour or more 2 ½ kilos (5 pounds) grape juice. But to achieve the taste of my favorite island moustokouloura, made in August with the local fresh grape must, or with thinned down petimezi (grape molasses), I boil ordinary grape juice with sultanas and/or currents, and the result is great (see Note).

Makes about 3 dozen large cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour or more, as needed

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

 1 1/2 cups fresh sweet grape must (see note)

 2/3 cups olive oil

 1/3 cup brandy

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Mix 4 cups flour with the salt and the spices. Make a well in the centre and add the grape must and olive oil. In a small bowl stir the baking soda into the brandy and stir the bubbly mixture into the flour. 

Knead, briefly to form a soft dough. If it is too sticky, add more flour.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Cut pieces of dough and roll to make 1/3-inch thick and 5- or 6-inch-long ropes, or shorter. Stick the two ends together or tie a knot or roll, snail-like the dough ropes, to form moustokouloura.

Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes or more, until firm.

Let the cookies cool completely on a rack, and store in airtight boxes.

NOTE:

To make petimezi (grape molasses) juice fresh grapes to get 4 cups of juice, or use 4 cups commercial grape juice. Add 2 cups currants or sultanas and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Process in the blender and pass the liquid through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Tie the end of the cheesecloth and squeeze the pulp to extract all the juices.

Measure to get the amount needed and freeze the rest for future use.

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We don’t need to substitute and invent intricate vegan cookies, as the most common ones we make at home, or buy at the bakeries all over the country, are usually baked with olive oil instead of butter.

Makes about 65 pieces

1 ½ cups light olive oil

1 cup sugar

650 grams cake flour or more, as needed

2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of Salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup brandy

3 packed tablespoons orange zest (from 3-4 large oranges, zested with the microplane)

1 cup fresh orange juice

Toasted sesame seeds, or rosemary leaves (optional)

In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the balloon attachment, beat the oil and sugar for about 5 minutes, until milky-white.

In a separate bowl toss the flour with the baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a cup add the baking soda to the brandy and stir to mix. Add the orange zest, orange juice and brandy-soda to the oil-sugar in the mixer, and stir a few times to mix.

Add gradually the flour to the liquids, in 2-3 additions, until just incorporated. You will end up with a very oily soft dough. If too soft, add a bit more flour, and transfer to the working surface. Let sit for 15-20 minutes before shaping.

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the convection oven to 160 C (320F).

Shape walnut-size pieces of dough into a rope, then join the ends to create a koulouri (crown) pressing it lightly on the sesame, if using.

Alternatively you can shape small sticks, or press pieces of dough to a ¼-inch square and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter.

Sprinkle with sesame or rosemary if you like.

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Of course, I made quite a few changes, using local green olives instead of the black from Provence, and scallions, instead of the chives that are not available here. As I always do, I substituted olive oil for the butter, and grated aged graviera cheese for the parmesan, I increased the amount of pine nuts and sunflower seeds and added rosemary which gave a lovely aroma to the cake.

I baked it in a pan with a hole in the center, but you can of course use a loaf pan, or a simple round 8-inch pan. This meze cake is best slightly warm, or just cooled.

At least 8 generous appetizer pieces

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup olive oil

5 eggs, lightly beaten to mix

1/3 cup white wine

150 grams grated parmesan, or aged graviera or cheddar

About 1 cup (180 grams) pitted, sliced green olives –you can use black, if you like

5 scallions, white plus most of the green, finely chopped

1 small red pickled pepper chopped (optional)

About 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves, or more, to taste

1/3 cup (about 50 grams) toasted pine nuts

½ cup sunflower seeds

Line the pan you intend to use with parchment paper. And preheat the oven to 375 F (200 C).

In a bowl toss the flour with the baking powder. Add the olive oil, the eggs and the wine and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, just to incorporate.

Add the cheese, the olives, the scallions, and the pepper, if using, along with the rosemary. Keep some pine nuts to top the cake and add rest to the mix, along with the sunflower seeds. Stir a few times to mix all the ingredients together, and transfer to the prepared pan.

Even the top with a spatula, sprinkle with the reserved pine nuts, and bake for about 35 minutes or more, testing with a knife to see if it is done, as you do with the sweet cakes.

Let cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes, before unmolding and cutting to serve. This meze cake is best slightly warm, or just cooled. But you can wrap the leftover in plastic wrap and refrigerate, then warm a bit in a low oven covered with parchment paper.

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You can probably make this spanakopita-bread  with store-bought, whole-wheat pizza dough, if you are not up to making you own bread dough from scratch. 

For a 9-inch round bread, or 2 stuffed loaves 

3 cups chopped scallions –white plus most of the green part

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for the pan or skillet

2/3 pound (350 grams) spinach leaves and most stems, or a combination of various greens (chard, beet greens, arugula, some bitter chicory etc.)

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup chopped dill

1 tablespoon dry mint

2 tablespoons dry coriander

1 egg, lightly beaten (optional)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups grated, aged graviera or pecorino, more to sprinkle the bread

1/2 cup aged smoked cheddar

Salt to taste

¼ of the bread or laganes dough or the dough for Ka’ak Savory Cookies that have doubled and are ready to be shaped

2-3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Make the filling: In a heavy, deep skillet add the olive oil and sauté the scallions for 2-3 minutes in medium high, and as they start to sizzle reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan and cook the onions until soft, about 8-10 minutes, stirring every now and then. 

In the meantime cut the spinach or the various greens and their stems to about 1/2 inch pieces, transfer to a bowl and knead with your hands to wilt a bit.  Add them to the skillet with the onions and toss with 2 spatulas to half-cook and reduce. 

Remove from the heat and add the parsley, mint, coriander, the egg, if using, and pepper. Toss well and stir in the cheeses and mix. You can taste the stuffing and add a bit of salt if you think it needs it –I don’t, as the cheeses are quite salty.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (180 C) 

To make the round, pizza-like spanakopita: Add 2 tablespoons olive oil in a non-stick skillet and add the dough, flattening with your fingers to fill the skillet, lifting it around the sides. Add the stuffing, evening to cover all the surface, leaving a border all around. Sprinkle with cheese.  

Place the skillet over medium-high heat and fry the dough for about 8-10 min, until you see little bubbles all around and carefully lifting the dough with a spatula to see if it has started to brown at the bottom. 

Transfer to the skillet to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or more, until the top is cooked and sizzling. Remove from the oven and from the skillet, with spatulas, and let cool on a rack before cutting to serve.  

VARIATION: beat 1 cup full-fat (preferably sheep’s milk yogurt) with 1 egg, and pour on top of the spinach filling, just before you transfer the skillet to the oven.

Form the stuffed loaves: Briefly knead and the dough and divide in two. On a lightly floured board flatten and roll one piece to make an oval, roughly 16-inch (about 40 cm) long. The dough is very forgiving and elastic so don’t be afraid to stretch  it and make it quite thin, as it will expand quite a bit in the oven.

Add half the stuffing in the center of the oval and with a spoon spread it to make a line, leaving about 2 inches from the two small sides, but at the top and bottom leave about 4-5 inches dough to cover well the stuffing. Turn the dough to cover the stuffing and pinch to seal. 

Spread a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil. Transfer the stuffed log to the baking sheet and continue stuffing the second in the same way.

Brush the breads with olive oil and sprinkle well with water. With scissors mace cuts all along the seam on top of the breads, and sprinkle with some breadcrumbs.

Bake for about 45 min or more, until golden brown on top and bottom. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and leave the breads in another 10 minutes.  

Let cool well before cutting to serve. Actually these breads taste better the next day, either served room temperature, or reheated in a low oven, loosely wrapped in parchment paper. 

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Instead of baking the bread on the stone, I often heat a cast iron or clay casserole and when the loaf is ready, I carefully transfer it inside the heated casserole, close the lid and let it bake inside for about 30 minutes then uncover, and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until it is done. Baked inside the casserole the bread gets a more substantial crust. 

I also flatten and roll pieces of the dough stuffing it with greens or broccoli. Lately I invented a pizza-like spanakopita, topping this beautiful dough with the mixture of greens, herbs, feta, and other cheeses –the same one that I use for my winter greens’ pie, where I combine not just spinach but also a variety of wonderful wild, foraged greens. I shaped the round bread-spanakopita in a non-stick skillet, and fried it for about 6-8 minutes, until the bottom started to brown, then continued to bake it in the oven. 

Yields 1 large or 2 medium loaves, or 2-3 flat laganes

2 cups fine semolina (pasta) flour or strong bread flour

3 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour or 1 ½ cup whole wheat and 1 cup barley flour

1 tablespoon instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

3 1/2 teaspoons mixed ground coriander seeds, anise seeds, caraway, and mahlep (about 2 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp ground mahlep, 1 teaspoons anise seeds and 1 teaspoon caraway seeds)

1/2 -1 teaspoon ground pepper (optional)

3 ½ or more cups water 

2 tablespoons milk and 2-3 tablespoons sesame, caraway, nigella, or pumpkin seeds (optional)

For a powerful hand-held mixer: Place flours, yeast and spices in a large bowl and mix well with a spatula. Make a well in the center and add 3 1/2 cups water. Use the spatula to incorporate the liquid. With a hand-held mixer fitted with dough hooks work the mixture for 1-2 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes. Work again with the hand-held mixer for 5 minutes or more, occasionally stopping to turn over the dough with a large spatula.

In a stand mixer start by tossing the flours, spices and yeast together, then with the dough hook and while the machine runs  in low, pour the water slowly on the side of the bowl and work the dough for about 5-6 minutes.

Either way, the dough should still be wet and somewhat sticky, but should start to come off the sides of the bowl. If too dry, add a little water, if too wet add a few tablespoons all purpose flour.

Flour the working surface and turn out the dough. Dust your hands and the dough with flour and knead –folding, pushing, turning and folding again— for a couple of minutes or more, until you get a dough that is smooth, elastic, but still slightly sticky to the touch.

Lightly oil a large transparent or semi-transparent bowl, as well as a piece of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to the oiled bowl. Trace a line on the outside of the bowl to monitor the dough’s expansion. Cover with the oiled plastic wrap and let rise until double its original volume: 1 1/2 hours or more.

(When the dough has expanded to about 1 1/2 times its size you may transfer the bowl with the dough to the refrigerator, and leave it overnight and up to 24 hours. It will continue to rise slowly. Before proceeding further, bring dough to room temperature).

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into to loaves, an 8-x-11-inch oval or an 8-inch round, or make laganes (flattis, focaccia-like breads) by pushing the dough with wet fingers making dimples all over the surface.

Place in baking dishes lined with parchment paper, cover with the oiled plastic wrap and let it rise for another 30 minutes —it won’t rise much. If you like, brash the surface with milk, and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

(At this point you can cut off pieces of dough, flatten them slightly, sprinkle with flour, wrap in parchment paper, seal in zip log bags and freeze. You can defrost and use later)

At least 20 minutes before baking, place a baking sheet or a baking stone in the oven and preheat to 450°F.

Carefully take out the hot baking sheet, and lifting the parchment papers with the breads, slide them on the hot pan. With a wet baker’s razor or with a pair of kitchen scissors make diagonal cuts in the surface of each loaf.

Sprinkle with water from a plant sprinkler and bake for 15 minutes, sprinkling quickly into the oven with water 3 more times. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Do the same (sprinkle 3 times) for flat breads, but reduce the heat immediately after you put them in the oven.

Bake the loaves for 45 minutes more, the flat breads for about 25-30 minutes.

Wearing oven mitts and using a spatula, remove the breads from the pans and place directly on the oven rack. Bake for 5-10 minutes more, or until the bread sounds hollow when you tap it on the bottom. An instant thermometer will read 200 or 205 F when breads are done.

Let cool completely on a rack before slicing.

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This is a dense fruitcake, full of flavor, that should be thinly sliced and enjoyed in moderation, maybe accompanied by cream, mascarpone, or thick yogurt. 

Makes 2 Fruitcakes

Butter or olive oil for pans

2 pounds mixed fried fruit (pitted Medjool dates, prunes –preferably from Agen, candied pineapple, candied cherries and or cranberries, dried apricots etc)

2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 ½ cups mashed, baked butternut squash

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons double acting baking powder

½-1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ pounds mixed nuts (shelled pistachios, shelled almonds, shelled walnuts and/or pecans)

Maple syrup or warm honey to brush the cake

1/2 cup Armagnac, Grand Marnier or Brandy

Line two 9-inch pans with parchment paper, or one 9-inch square and one long cake pan and brush with butter or oil. Heat the oven to 275 F (140 C).

Combine the dried fruit in a bowl with cherries and orange jest. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Sift this over fruit. With your hands, toss to coat.

In medium bowl, preferably on a standing mixer, beat eggs with sugar until frothy. Add the squash and the vanilla extract and mix. Pour over the fruit.

With wooden spoon, mix very well. Fold in the pistachios, almonds, pecans and walnuts, and mix until coated with batter.

Divide the mixture between the pans. Using your hands, press to pack the batter very firmly and fill in open spaces.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until the tops of cakes look dry but not brown. When the cakes are done, transfer to cooling racks. Let stand for 5 minutes, then release springform and peel off parchment paper on sides.

While cakes are still hot, brush lightly with syrup or honey. Let cool 30 minutes, then prick with a toothpick all over and spoon the Liqueur or Armagnac on top.

When completely cool, remove the cakes from pan base and peel off parchment paper on bottom.

It is advised not to eat right away but wrap the fruitcakes in plastic wrap and try them the next day.

They will keep for two months in refrigerator, their flavors getting even better.

Sprinkle with more Armagnac or liqueur before serving.

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Melomakarona, the traditional Greek, fragrant, honey-infused Christmas cookies are my favorites! They are vegan, because people ate them during the days of Lent that precede Christmas according to the Orthodox doctrines that some people follow, even if they are not religious. Now they are being rediscovered, as baking with olive oil has become trendy, and even the NYT published a version recently. I have slightly updated my mother’s recipe –which she had from her own mother– adding some ground nuts in the dough.

I think you will find these cookies irresistible, but if you manage to save them for later, they will get even better the next days. They keep for up to 1 month so you may want to double the recipe, especially if you bake melomakarona with friends, as we usually do.

An extra bonus of this aromatic but healthy dough is that you can use it as pie crust, filling it with cooked apples, quince, or make an irresistible lemony tart with just Lemon Curd as its filling. 

A recent favorite of ours is the old German Lebkuchen  which are fragrant with the enticing Lebkuchen Spice Mix.  It contains all kinds of spices, even ground coriander seeds, but strangely, no ginger! The blogger whose recipe I fam following, strangely calls it German Gingerbread Spice Mix, probably because she caters to Americans, for whom Lebkuchen is not a household name. My only addition to her recipe is an extra 2/3 cup finely ground almonds or almond meal because I don’t use the rice-paper wafers –difficult to find on our island—and wanted to make the dough somewhat thicker. Also, Costas and I prefer the cookies plain, or just drizzled with some bitter chocolate, so I skip the full dipping in chocolate the recipe calls for.

Also traditionally prepared for Christmas and the New Year, kourambiedes are delicate melt-in-the-mouth cookies. You find similar cookies in various Middle Eastern countries, often sprinkled with rose water or citrus flower water just before they are rolled in confectioner’s sugar. The old Greek island recipes called for lard, as butter was not a common ingredient. There are also recipes for kourambiedes made with the strongly-flavored sheep’s milk butter, while there are Lenten versions made entirely with olive oil. Today most homes and bakeries prepare the cookies exclusively with butter, but I love this old, Cycladic version. The last years I have become addicted to the kourambiedes baked by Tsourtis, our best island baker in Hora, the main town. He basically uses butter, but also some sheep’s milk butter and bakes his cookies in his wood-fired oven, which gives his kourambiedes an irresistible nutty flavor!

See also my take on the classic Ginger Snap Cookies, based on the recipe of King Arthur Baking.

I reduced the amount of sugar in the mix since the topping makes them far too sweet, anyway. Also I prefer to make them with olive oil instead of any ‘shortening,’ and of course I use grated fresh ginger that gives them a lovely, fragrant kick.

As for the ‘molasses’ mentioned, the only kind we have here is Grape Molasses, which has a wonderfully deep flavor. In Greece the traditional Moustokouloura (grape molasses cookies) are vegan –no egg– as they are a favorite Lenten treat. But frankly, these gingery ones are far better-tasting and easier (!)

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I reduced the amount of sugar in the mix since the topping makes them far too sweet, anyway. Also I choose to make them with olive oil, instead of any ‘shortening,’ and of course I use grated fresh ginger that gives them a lovely, fragrant kick.

As for the ‘molasses’ mentioned, the only kind we have here is Grape Molasses, which have a wonderfully deep flavor. In Greece the traditional Moustokouloura (grape molasses cookies) are vegan –no egg– as they are a favorite Lenten treat. But frankly, these gingery ones are far better-tasting and easier (!)

As for the ‘molasses’ mentioned, the only kind we have here is Grape Molasses, which has a wonderfully deep flavor. In Greece the traditional Moustokouloura (grape molasses cookies) are vegan –no egg– as they are a favorite Lenten treat. But frankly, these gingery ones are far better-tasting and easier (!)

 For about 3 dozen cookies

3/4 cup (138g) olive oil

1/2 cup (60g) sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 large egg

1/3 cup (113g) grape molasses

2-3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

2 1/3 cups (276g)  All-Purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

For Coating

½ – 1 cup (50-200 g) sugar, preferably brown or light brown

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line with parchment paper two baking sheets.

Beat together the olive oil, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

Beat in the egg, then add the grape molasses and ginger.

Add the flour and spices, beating to make a smooth, somewhat stiff dough.

To make the coating, combine the sugar and cinnamon, and place in a shallow pan or dish.

Drop the dough in balls into the cinnamon-sugar mixture; a heaped tablespoon scoop is perfect here.

Roll the balls briefly in the sugar, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 1/2″ between them; they’ll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, for cookies that are crisp/crunchy  or 3-4 min less, if you like them crisp around the edges, and “bendy” in the center.

Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool right on the pan, or on a rack. They are soft as they come out of the oven but harden later.

Cool completely, then store in a jar, at room temperature.

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