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. 

The post Kolokotes: Squash-raisin-and-bulgur Hand Pies from Cyprus appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.

Serves 6-8

3 pounds (1 ½ kilo) russet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced

One butternut squash, about 2 pounds (1 kilo) peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons dried mint, or about ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves

2 pounds (1 kilo) feta cheese, crumbled

½ cup fruity olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 F (200 C).

In a large bowl add the potato slices, squash, salt, pepper and flour and toss well.

Line a 9 X 13-inch (23 X 33 cm) baking dish with parchment paper and spread the vegetables in an even layer, pressing them so that no gaps remain, then sprinkle with the mint, pour over the olive oil and sprinkle with the cheese. You can also make boureki in 6 or 8 individual baking dishes.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes until the top browns and the vegetables are soft as you poke with a knife.

Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature before cutting to serve.

The post Ana Sortun’s Potato and Squash Boureki appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.

“This holiday recipe comes from the baking expert Dorie Greenspan. She calls it “all-in-one” because it includes elements from both Thanksgiving and Christmas: pumpkin, nutmeg, cranberries and ginger. It’s really the perfect dessert for either feast, or any occasion in between,” writes Moskin in her introduction.

Both our friends, who were with us this past weekend, as well as Costas, who loves all kinds of moist and nutty cakes, agreed that this is a real treat!

It is very easy to make, especially if you bake it in two long cake pans, as I did, instead of the more elaborate but tricky Bundt pan.

No glaze is necessary, but if you happen to have some lemon curd it is a lovely addition!

Makes 2 long Cake Pans (more than 12 servings)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

Fine zest from 1/2 lemon (optional)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼  teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pinch salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

¾ cup light olive oil, plus more for the pan

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1 ½  cups mashed baked butternut squash or pumpkin (or canned pumpkin purée)

1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped

1 cup shelled pistachios (unsalted)

Lemon Curd for serving (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center. Lightly oil two long  (6-cup) cake pans, preferably lined with parchment paper.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, lemon zest (if using) cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the eggs and both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 or 5 minutes. Add the olive oil and grated ginger and beat for 2 minutes more.

Reduce the speed to low and add the squash or pumpkin. Don’t be concerned if the batter looks curdled. Add gradually the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. With a rubber spatula, stir in the cranberries and pistachios. Scrape the batter into the pans and smooth the top.

Bake directly on the oven rack for about 50 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Transfer to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack. Serve in thick slices with Lemon Curd, if you like.

The post Pumpkin, Cranberry, Ginger, and Pistachio Cake appeared first on Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades.