The tanginess of yogurt accentuated by the crumbled feta beautifully complement the sweetness of the broccoli and the peppers.

Serves 5-6: 12X9-inch (30X20cm) glass casserole

About 1 ½ pounds (750 grams) broccoli: pare the hard stems, discarding only the very hard parts, separating the tender florets. Wash under running water in a colander and drain.

2/3 cup olive oil

1  large or 2 small red bell peppers, seeded and cut into somewhat thin strips (about 1 cup pieces)

4  cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

½  cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

YOGURT SAUCE

1 ¼  cup full fat yogurt, not strained (Greek)

1 ½  cups full fat milk

¼  cup olive oil

4  tablespoons all-purpose flour

400  grams crumbled feta –about 1 2/3 cup

3  medium eggs

1  teaspoon or more smoked red pepper flakes

TOPPING

3  tablespoons grated kefalotyri or pecorino cheese

Pinch red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 350F (180 C).

In a pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon salt, and the harder broccoli stems and cook for about 10 minutes, before adding the florets and cooking them until easily pierced with a knife. Alternatively arrange the stems in a basket or colander that can be fitted over a pot (or a steamer, if you have one), and steam for about 15 minutes, then add the florets and steam until tender.  

Drain the cooked broccoli and chop the stems and florets into about ½-inch pieces.

In a skillet add half the olive oil and sauté the peppers for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  

Add the garlic to the hot oil and stir a couple of times –don’t let it color. Add the Broccoli pieces and stir a few times then remove from the heat.

Pour the rest of the olive oil to the baking pan and spread the breadcrumbs, stirring to coat then with oil. Set aside.

Make the sauce: In a bowl add the yogurt and the milk and stir to mix.

In a saucepan warm the olive oil with the flour, on medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk, and cook until well frothy, about 4-5 minutes. Pour in the yogurt mixture and cook stirring until it thickens and starts to boil.

Remove from the heat and stir in the feta and eggs, mixing them well. Add the smoked pepper flakes, stir, and keep 1 cup of the sauce for topping. To the rest of the sauce add the sauteed peppers and the broccoli and toss to mix. Taste and add pepper and salt, to taste.  

Carefully spread this mixture on the oiled breadcrumbs, in the pan, being carful not to mix the broccoli with the crumbs that should stay at the bottom. Even the mixture with a spoon or spatula, then pour over the reserved yogurt sauce, spreading it all over. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and with some red pepper flakes and set on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, before placing in the middle of the oven.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until well browned on top and bubbly. Let cool for 10-20 minutes before serving.  

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This very simple, absolutely irresistible meze is a somewhat recent addition to the summer menu of Greek taverns. It probably has its roots in the fried or grilled peppers with batzos – a quite pungent, semi-hard cheese from Thessaly and Macedonia. The irresistible meze was probably first served in Thessaloniki taverns and the surrounding areas, and was eventually adopted by home and restaurant cooks all over Greece.

Serves 4

1 large, vine-ripened tomato

4 slices Feta cheese (about 2/3 pound total)

1 medium green bell pepper, sliced into thin rings

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped or a few pinches Maraş pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

About 1/2 cup good olive oil

1 tablespoon Greek oregano or more, to taste

Thick slices of fresh, crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 430˚F (220 C).

Spread a double layer of kitchen paper on a large dish. Core the tomato carefully, slice horizontally into 5-6 pieces and spread them on the paper to drain.

Oil a shallow 8 or 9-inch baking dish, or 4 individual ramekins, and spread the tomato slices at the bottom, reserving 4 nice slices for the top. Sprinkle with some jalapeno and bell pepper slices. Arrange the feta pieces on top, place one tomato slice on each piece of cheese and finally 2 or 3 bell pepper rings on the tomato.

Drizzle liberally with olive oil, sprinkle with oregano and the rest of the jalapeno and transfer to the middle of the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes or more, until the feta turns a light golden color and the oil is sizzling. Serve immediately with warm bread. 

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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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I have changed it very slightly, and it has become part of our family’s permanent repertoire, one of our favorite casseroles. The name briani or briami, probably comes from the Persian biryan, which is also the ancestor of the more well-known Indian biryani. In the traditional Greek briami there is no rice, just a medley of summer vegetables baked in the oven.

Maria Kaneva in her book The Melting Pot: Balkan Food and Cookery, describes a baked rice, potato, and tomato piryan —the Bulgarian name— and writes that there are many versions of the dish, which can be traced to the Balkans in the Middle Ages. The Albanian version is much more interesting for me, because the rice is basically cooked in milk, and feta, along with peppers are giving it an additional flavor kick!  

My friend Stamatia Stylou, a Greek-Albanian makes yet another version of the dish, with scallions and dill, instead of peppers, and no feta, which she served on the side.  I make it often following her recipe, which I included in my Mediterranean Vegetarian Feasts. Our friends love it as much as her young grandsons, who ask her to make it for them every time they visit. 

Both these are ‘poor-man’s’ versions, but the flavors are rich despite their humble, vegetable ingredients. When lamb, kid or chicken were available, Stamatia said that they cooked and boned the meat, mixed it with the rice, and then baked it with a combination of broth and milk.  It was customary to flavor the meat versions with chervil and green fenugreek instead of dill.

Briani was also made with chopped lamb’s liver and other innards. Stamatia’s grandmother even cooked briani with eel , whenever they happened to catch one in the local stream! The chilies in the variation are my humble addition to this dish.  I always prepare it well in advance and let it cool before serving, which allows the flavors to come together.

RECIPE: Albanian Briani: Baked Rice with Milk, Feta, Peppers, and Dill 

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Makes 6 servings

1/4        cup olive oil or unsalted butter 

2            cups chopped onions    

3            green bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced      

2–3       hot chiles, seeded and finely chopped   

1 1/2     cups medium-grain rice, such as Arborio

1           pound feta cheese, coarsely crumbled or diced          

1 1/2     cups chopped fresh dill 

4 1/2     cups whole milk

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200 C).  In a large skillet, heat the oil or butter and sauté the onions, bell peppers and chiles until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for 1 minute more.

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the feta and dill.

Transfer to a round or oval 2 1/2-quart baking dish and stir in the milk.

Bake, stirring once, for 45 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the milk and is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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The cooking is a variation of my usual risotto with leafy greens, but on this occasion I prefer to cook the grains with a more substantial green, like kale or cabbage. 

A few years back we managed to grow some Russian, as well as Tuscan Kale in the garden; but unfortunately we have not been able to grow these wonderful greens again, so I use cabbage for my hearty grain risotto.

See also Kapuska: Cabbage with Ground Meat and Cabbage.

Serves 4-6

1/3 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Salt to taste

2 cups dry white wine

1 pound green or red kale or cabbage: Separate, and thinly slice the stems, and coarsely shred the leaves

1 tablespoon turmeric

3 teaspoons Maras or Aleppo pepper flakes

2 cups pre-cooked pearl barley, farro, wheat berries (see NOTE) OR 1  1/2 cup farro or barley plus 1/2 cup Basmati rice, soaked in water for 3 minutes and drained

1  1/2 cups vegetable broth or water

1/4 cup lemon juice, or mote to taste

2-3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Fruity olive oil for drizzling

Crumbled feta, or thick yogurt, for serving

In a sauté pan warm the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring, until they start to soften. Add salt to taste and 1 cup of the wine to the pan, toss and add the kale or cabbage stems. Toss, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the the kale or cabbage leaves to the pan, toss, cover and let the leaves wilt for 5 minutes. Uncover, add the rest of the wine, the pepper as well as the Basmati rice, if using, and toss, then add 1  1/2 cups warm broth or water, and  the pearl barley or  farro; toss, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the grains are fully cooked. If need be add a bit more broth or water.

Uncover, toss, and add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve in bowls sprinkling with parsley and drizzling with fruity olive oil.

Serve the feta or the yogurt on the side.

NOTE: I always have in my freezer half-cooked grains, as well as chickpeas and beans.

Add one pound pearl barley, farro or wheat berries in a pot, and cover with water that should come about 4-inches above the grains. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 10-20 minutes, or until the grains are almost tender but still hold their shape.

Drain and let cool completely in the colander, then transfer to a zip-log bag and store in the freezer.

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The dressing/relish is versatile and you can also use it over grilled chicken, fish or meat. This bright and fresh dish is ideal for picnics and garden dining.

See also the purslane-tomato relish I had posted earlier. 

Serves about 20 as a meze and 10-12 as summer lunch

600 grams small plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

2/3 cup chopped scallions green onions) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

3-4 chopped pickled green peppers –NOT very hot

500 grams Barrel-aged Greek feta cut into longish, about ¼ inch slices

DRESSING:

4 teaspoons pickling juice from the peppers

4 tablespoons Greek white wine vinegar

½ cup Greek fruity EVO, plus more to drizzle

1 tablespoon coarsely ground coriander seeds

Zest from one lemon (fine)

90 grams Paximadia (barley rusks) coarsely crumbled OR toasted stale whole-wheat, multi-grain bread 

In a bowl toss the tomatoes with the dressing and herbs –minus the lemon zest– and let macerate for about 1 hour.

Transfer to a sieve placed over a bowl to collect the juices.

To serve, spread the crumbled paximadia on a plate, sprinkle with the juices collected in the bowl, place the feta slices over the paximadia and arrange the tomatoes on top. Drizzle with fruity olive oil and sprinkle with the lemon zest.

The post Feta on Barley Rusks with Cherry Tomato Relish appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.

We like to briefly grill them on a stovetop griddle, on a non-stick pan, simply rubbed with olive oil and simply serve them sprinkled with some local, delicious finishing salt.

See also the  variation with Peppers and Zucchini slices. 

Recently we started combining the incredibly-tasting olive-oil-fried eggs from our neighbor’s hens with the grilled asparagus making a full dish. Elizabeth Minchilli calls this ‘Asparagus Bizmarck’ –probably an Italian term for the dish; she blanches her asparagus instead of grilling them. 

I fry the eggs separately, and only until the white is no longer transparent. If you like to see the correct, Spanish way of frying eggs in olive oil check Jose Andres’ method.  

We like to complement with feta cheese the asparagus and eggs, and of course serve slices of my latest homemade bread alongside.   

The much sought-after white asparagus are cultivated in the north of Greece, and as far as I know are mostly exported in Germany and other parts of Europe.  

To trim the green asparagus simply bend them until they snap. The top is the tender part you would like to grill and the bottom, somewhat tougher is ideal to flavor pasta, risotto, or any broth. Chop and keep in a the freezer until needed. 

My recipe loosely-based on Giada in Italy (episode 5) 

Serves 4

About 1/4 cup fruity olive oil, divided

1 pound thin asparagus trimmed –chop the hard base and freeze, to use in Green Pasta

Salt to taste

4 large eggs

Freshly ground pepper, to taste 

Feta cheese for serving

Wipe the pan with a dish towel and rub with some olive oil.

Add about 3 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the asparagus and some salt, cover with parchment paper pressing it to touch the spears and cook for about 5 minutes, lifting the paper and flipping the asparagus with tongs, until they are bright green, cooked through and slightly browned. Divide among your serving plates.

In a non-stick skillet warm 3-4 tablespoons olive oil in medium-high heat and break in the eggs, before the oil starts to sizzle. Cook briefly, dousing the eggs with some of the warm oil with a spoon, until the white is opaque. Lift the cooked eggs carefully with spatulas, hopefully not breaking the yolks.

Serve the eggs over the grilled asparagus, sprinkling with finishing salt and freshly ground pepper, along with feta cheese and slices of fresh bread.  

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I just thought that I could probably whip up a savory cookie that contained the cheese and mint, and here is my version.  You can halve the recipe, but keep in mind that you can freeze these savory koulourakia and even if you don’t warm them up a bit before serving, they are still delicious.

Makes 40-45 cookie (about two-inch)

4 cups (500 grams) self-rising flour (or all purpose flour with 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder)

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ – 1 teaspoon black pepper, to taste

2/3 cup olive oil

3 cups full fat thick (Greek) yogurt, or 4 cups full fat natural yogurt

½ cup full fat milk or more as needed, if you used Greek yogurt

1 ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 ½ cup grated aged graviera or pecorino

More grated cheese, Rosemary leaves or/and Aleppo or Maras pepper for sprinkling the cookies (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F) and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, soda, salt and pepper). Toss well with a spatula and make a well in the center. Pour in the olive oil, the yogurt and the milk (if using) and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula. If the mixture looks too thick, add a bit more milk. Add the cheeses and mix well, again.

Take ¼ cup of the mixture and drop on the lined baking sheet, making sure you leave at least 1 ½-inch space between the cookies.

Bake for about 15 minutes in the middle of the oven, or until golden brown on top and bottom. Let cool a few minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely — although you could eat them warm too.

When completely cold, store in an air-tight container, and if you don’t consume the cookies within two days, freeze them and reheat in a toaster before serving.

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