You can enjoy kolokotes as snack, complemented with yogurt, labne, or fresh cheese; drizzled with honey, date or any fruit molasses they become a lovely dessert. 

Marilena Ioannides’ recipe is by far the best I have tried –and I did try lots over the years. She bakes the pies on camera –speaking Greek with no subtitles, unfortunately; but consulting my recipe below you can easily follow and understand how to make these simple, exquisite pies.

To collect the old, traditional dishes she included in her book Cyprus Food Treasures, Marilena traveled all over the island, even to the remotest villages, and managed to find some incredible dishes! Often they are the missing link between age-old foods we read about in old manuscripts and the more recent variations we still encounter in parts of Greece or in other parts of the Eastern Mediterranean.

NOTE in the video as she prepares the pies leisurely, in real time, she weighs all ingredients –even the olive oil and water– as she adds them, one by one in the bowl of the mixer, zeroing her electronic scale just before adding a new item. This is a wonderful trick that helps cooks use a minimum of  bowls and other measuring utensils. 

My recipe is adapted from Marilena Ioannides’ Kolokotes. I have increased the amount of raisins and doubled the pepper; also substituted fennel seeds for the fresh wild fennel she suggests.

Makes 6 large pies

For the DOUGH:

1 pound bread flour or a combination of pasta flour and all purpose flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

70 grams olive oil

250 grams very hot or boiling water —the secret to make smooth, elastic dough

For the FILLING:

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded

1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

100 grams bulgur (medium not fine)

150 grams raisins

30 grams olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 -1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (I like it peppery)

1 teaspoon coarsely ground fennel seeds

Make the dough tossing the flour, salt, and olive oil in the bowl of a standing mixer. With the motor running pour in the hot water on the side, and work to obtain a soft, slightly sticky dough. Wrap in oiled plastic wrap and set aside. You can make the dough the previous day, refrigerate, wrapped, and bring to room temperature before proceeding further.

For the filling cut the squash in very thin slices, then in small cubes, matchsticks, or any kind of tiny bits. Add salt, olive oil and the raisins, then work with your hands to somewhat soften the squash.

Stir in the bulgur, cinnamon, pepper, and fennel seeds, and toss well to mix. 

Divide the dough into 6 pieces. (Marilena makes 7 pies but I find it difficult to divide the dough into an even number; I only use the scale for the filling).   

Preheat the oven to 150C  (about 300F) in convection mode. 

Roll each piece into roughly a 25 cm round, and place one sixth of the filling in the center, weighing all the filling  dividing the number into 6, then portioning and weighing 1/6th for each pie. Stir the filling each time before you take a portion as the moisture tends to go to the bottom.

Fold the round of dough to cover the filling; seal and crimp the edge, making sure the pie is completely closed so that the squash, bulgur etc. bake and steam inside the crust. Place the pies carefully on baking trays lined with parchment paper, and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 min to 1 h –until lightly colored on top and bottom.

If you bake both pans at the same time, change positions after 30 minutes, turning also the pans back to front.

Let the kolokotes cool on a rack or on thick kitchen towels before cutting to eat.

The flavor is infinitely better after they are completely cold, and I find that it is even better the next day! 

Keep on the counter for 2-3 days, if you manage to resist devouring them. You can also freeze and slowly reheat any leftover pies. 

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Her recipe, the very first I encountered of roasted cabbage wedges –many have been published since– inspired me to try my version.

I omitted the anchovies and parmesan, but added both soy and fish sauce, as well as a large pinch of my favorite hot Florina smoked pepper, along with plenty of rosemary, which I think complements beautifully this Asian-Mediterranean roasted cabbage.  Costas and I loved it, and we make it quite regularly these days.

It accompanies beautifully any kind of meat or chicken, but we also eat it with the wonderful olive-oil-fried eggs from our neighbor’s hens, and feta cheese.

Serves 3- 4 

1 medium head green cabbage (1 ½ kilo, about 3 pounds)

½ cup fruity olive oil, plus more to drizzle at the end

¼  cup soy sauce

2  tablespoons fish sauce

3-4 garlic cloves, finely grated, or passed through a garlic press

2 teaspoons piperokama or any good smoked, hot pepper

¼ cup rosemary leaves, and more sprigs to serve

Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

½ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, or chopped walnuts or other nuts, such as almonds or hazelnuts

Heat oven to 450 F (230 C).

Cut the cabbage in quarters lengthwise through the core, then cut out the cores and stem. Slice the quarters lengthwise into about 1½-inch-thick (3,5 cm) wedges.

Place the wedges on a rimmed sheet pan, lined with parchment paper, flat sides down. It’s OK if the pan seems a bit crowded; the wedges will shrink as they roast but try not to overlap much, if possible. Lightly drizzle them with oil.

In a small bowl, combine the soy and fish sauces, the garlic, the smoked pepper and the rosemary leaves. Add about ½ cup olive oil and stir to mix. Massage this mixture into each cabbage wedge, making sure it goes in-between the leaves.

Roast until cabbage is lightly browned in spots, about 20 minutes. Spritz with water, nd contilue roasting another 10 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and caramelized. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and roast another 10 minutes, then remove from the oven, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, sprinkle with some black pepper and serve immediately or let cool and serve at room temperature.

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Its flavor depends on the incredible freshness of the simple fish I use, which in most cases is almost alive when I get it from the caïque, less than a few hours out of the water.

I usually make the broth the day before, refrigerate it, then finish the soup the next day.

In kakavia, the traditional fish soup of the Greek fishermen, all kinds of small fish that cannot be sold, the cheapest kinds you find that are not suitable for grilling or frying, are boiled for with plenty of olive oil and a few vegetables and herbs, until the flesh almost falls from the bones and the vegetables are very tender. Then all trhe ingredients of the pot are strained, and fish witrh vegetables served in a platter along with the broth which is dressed with more fruity olive oil and lemon juice. I heard that in Provence the somewhat scarry weevers are considered ideal for the bouillabaisse; we also use them in this simple traditional fish soup.

In my version, if a couple of larger fish are available, I carefully fillet them, drop the bones in the pot, and refrigerate or freeze the fillets, to be added in the soup at the very end since they need no more than 2-3 minutes cooking.

Between kakavia and bouillabaisse

I strain the broth from the small fish and after I remove all bones and heads, I pass it again through a very fine sieve to make sure all scales and small bones are removed. Then I sauté leeks or onions and two-three coarsely chopped garlic cloves in plenty of olive oil, then add potatoes and other vegetables, and finally the fish broth, cook until the vegetables are tender.

I know that some fish mongers sell fish carcasses which can be boiled to make the stock. Below is my basic fish soup recipe, but you can certainly play around with the quantities and ingredients adding more onions if you have no leeks, celery leaves instead of root etc. Taking inspiration from the bouillabaisse of Provence, I also add a pinch of saffron.

My mother used to mash coarsely in the food mill all the vegetables at the end, but I like to keep a few pieces of potato, zucchini, and peppers, to serve in the soup plates together with the fish fillets.

I suggest you read the Serious Eats to see a detailed Bouillabaisse recipe, and the Rouille, the garlicky and peppery mayonnaise-like sauce of Provence to serve alongside the fish soup.

NOTE that you could probably use clam juice, or a good quality ready made fish stock if available, and skip the first part of boiling the fish and vegetables. But I wouldn’t use the Japanese shaved, dried tuna, dashi, or combu. In my opinion their taste is somwhat too prominent and very different from the delicate flavor of small fish and fish bones. But, during the busy summer months many Greek taverns use them…

Serving 6-8

The FISH BROTH

3 ½ pounds small and/or medium fish, gutted and scaled –the larger fish filleted and the fillets refrigerated or frozen

3 cups dry white wine

A small celery root with leaves, or 3 large celery stalks

2 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise, and/or 1-2 pieces squash

Most green part of 2-3 leeks, or 2 medium onions quartered

1 tablespoon allspice berries, bruised in a mortar

1-piece fresh ginger, about 2-inches, halved lengthwise

1 piece star anise

1 tablespoon anise seeds, coarsely ground in a mortar

About 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

FINISHING the Soup

½-2/3 cup olive oil

1 large onion, or 2 leeks thinly sliced

2-3 large garlic cloves, sliced

2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into chunks

1 medium zucchini halved lengthwise; each piece cut into 3  

1 red and 1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered

2 medium tomatoes, halved to remove the stem, then each piece quartered

1 pinch saffron soaked in ¼ cup boiling water

1-2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste

For SERVING

Juice of 1 lemon or more, to taste

A handful flat-leaved parsley leaves

Lemon halves or quarters

Fruity olive oil for drizzling

Rouille: peppery and garlicky mayonnaise-like sauce (optional)

In a large pot place the fish, all vegetables and spices, add the wine and water to just cover the lot, and cook in medium-high heat for about 45 minutes or more, until the flesh almost falls from the fish bones and all vegetables are very tender.

Strain the broth, setting aside the vegetables, after checking they are free from fish bones or scales.  Press and discard all other solids, then pass again the broth through a very small sieve. Set aside.

To finish the soup: In a skillet warm the olive oil and sauté the leeks or onion and the garlic until translucent, then add this to the rest of the vegetables and the fish broth; bring to a slow boil. Cook in medium-high heat until all vegetables are tender.  Remove half of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside, then pass the rest through a food mill.

Return the broth to the pot, add the saffron, Aleppo or pepper flakes and lemon juice, and taste to correct the flavor. Add the fish fillets and the reserved vegetable pieces, and boil in high heat for about 3-4 minutes, or until the fish fillets are cooked, depending on their size.

Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, and either serve the soup in bowls or bring the pot to the table.

Serve a piece of the fillet and some of the vegetables along with the delicious broth, decorating with parsley sprigs and bringing extra lemon and olive oil to the table.

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Iceberg is a very recent addition to the Greek salad greens, and as it is very crunchy and almost tasteless, it pairs beautifully with our quite pungent arugula.

Serves 3-4

1 small or half a large head iceberg lettuce, coarsely shredded

1 bunch arugula, discard only the hard tips of stems, wash and spin-dry or press into a tea towel, then coarsely chop

A handful of fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces

2-3 small, slightly hot pickled red peppers

DRESSING

1 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons pickling brine from peppers (optional)

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions –white plus most green

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons maple syrup, or 1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon fine salt or more if you have not used the brine

4 tablespoons fruity olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl add the iceberg and arugula and toss with your fingers to mix.

Make the dressing: In a jar with lid add the vinegar, brine if using, pomegranate molasses, scallion, mustard. Syrup or honey, salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Close the jar and shake well to mix all ingredients. Taste and correct the flavor with more salt, pepper or molasses.

Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad and toss briefly, then transfer to a serving platter and top with the mint leaves and peppers, drizzling with the rest of the dressing just before serving.  

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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 baked it in a very old copper casserole, over several layers of parchment paper, as the traditional inside lining of the is somewhat worn, and there are very few itinerant craftsmen to renew it.

This dish is particularly good on islands like Naxos, or here on Kea, where the local potatoes have exceptional flavor. If you want to cook this dish using small potatoes there is no need to peel them, but I suggest that you halve them, because they taste best when they can absorb the flavorful juices.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, preferably with the bones and skin

2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

2/3 cup olive oil

4-6 garlic cloves, minced (to taste)

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano, thyme or savory, crumbled

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper, or Aleppo pepper flakes to taste

½ thick-skinned or Mayer lemon thinly sliced (optional)

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock, or white wine

1/3 -1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste)

2–3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, thyme or savory and some sprigs

Preheat the oven to 375°F (200 C)

Place the potatoes and chicken in a single layer in a round baking dish, about 12-inch (30 cm), and pour the oil over them. Add the garlic, dried oregano, salt, cumin, mustard, and pepper to taste, and toss well to coat all-over with the oil and flavorings.

Alternatively, you can work all the above ingredients in the blender and make a paste, then toss the chicken and potatoes to coat all over.

Bake for about 40 minutes. Add the stock, toss well, and bake for 15 minutes more. Drizzle the lemon juice, toss again top with the lemon slices, if using, and bake for about 20 minutes more, or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through.

If you like, preheat the broiler, and broil the food for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh oregano and serve at once.

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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 tart sour cherries are traditionally cooked with meatballs in Iran, Syria, and Turkey, and since I love the combination of fruit with all kinds of meat, I thought chicken would be great with cherries. Boned and skinned chicken thighs cook fast, so the cherries don’t lose their bright color when the dish is done.

Last but not least, I balance the cherries’ tartness with plenty of sliced Kea onions which are wonderfully sweet.  

I marinate the chicken with soy sauce and wine, as I do when I make a stir-fry, and this adds an extra layer of flavor.   

Serve with just fresh crusty bread, or with toasted pita triangles, like Anissa Helou’s Kabab Karaz. Great with a simple bulgur pilaf, as well as with mashed or roasted potatoes. In the winter it is ideally complemented with David Tanis’ Baked Polenta.   

Serves 4-5

MARINADE:

¼ cup soy sauce, preferably Japanese

¼ cup white wine

3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

About 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme

1 ½ pounds (750 grams) boned and skinned chicken thigs

About 1/3 cup olive oil

2-3 medium sweet onions (about 1 pound, 500 grams) halved and cut to about 1/8-inch slices

1 ½ pounds  (750 grams) pitted sour cherries, fresh or frozen

Freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste

1-2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup, optional

Fresh thyme to sprinkle 

In a medium bowl mix the marinade ingredients, add the chicken, toss, cover and set aside for about 20 minutes, while you start sautéing the onions. Or you can transfer to a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.

In a heavy skillet or sauté pan warm the olive oil and add the onions. As they start to sizzle, toss, lower the heat and let the onions cook for about 8 minutes, to soften.

Increase the heat and add the chicken along with its marinade to the onions in the pan. Cook tossing often for about 10 minutes, or until the pieces are no longer pink.

Add the sour cherries, toss, and cook in high heat for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

Taste, and add some honey or maple syrup if you find the sauce tart –I don’t. Add freshly ground pepper and salt, if needed, sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve.

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