XpatAthens

Wednesday, 06 October 2021 07:00

How To Make The Perfect Cup Of Greek Coffee

Greek coffee is a strongly brewed coffee that can be found all over Greece, a staple of the Greek diet, and an integral part of the country's culture. According to studies, Greek coffee has major health benefits, going as far as to say that drinking a cup of Elliniko kafe a day can increase your lifespan!

To make Greek coffee, you'll need a briki, a metal (copper is best) pot with a long handle. Brikis come in many different sizes–anything between 2 and 6 cups is acceptable. However, keep in mind that if you're serving more than 6 cups at a time, you'll need to do it in stages.

What You'll Need

1. Greek Coffee
2. A briki
3. Water
4. Sugar
5. Demitasse cups

How To Make It

Step1: Take however many demitasse cups are needed and fill each with water. Then, pour the water from each cup into the briki. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of Greek coffee into the briki for each demitasse cup.

Step 2: Add sugar as needed: 1 teaspoon for metrios (medium) 2 for glykos (sweet)

Step 3: Put the briki on a gas burner and turn it on to medium-low heat.

Step 4: After a few minutes when it starts to get warm, continuously stir the mixture until it dissolves. Once all is dissolved, stop stirring.Continue to slowly heat and watch for the foam to rise and take it off right before it begins to boil. (This foam is called kaïmaki) and the richer the foam, the better the coffee.

Step 5: If it’s just one cup, pour and enjoy. However, if there is more than one, pour a little into each cup, then go back to the first, and fill up each cup to the top. The reason for this is that you spread the foam to each of the cups so it will be present in each person's coffee.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy your coffee!

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Thursday, 18 February 2016 07:00

Apple Cake / Milopita

Milopita (Μηλόπιτα) or apple cake is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast in Greece. So moist, chock full of sweet, juicy apples and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, milopita is a delicate breakfast or dessert that will become a fast favorite in your house!

This simple to bake recipe is a great way to use up apples that might be a little too bruised or old to eat on their own. And you can choose to mix in chopped walnuts or golden raisins for an apple cake with even more texture and tastes.

The apples for this cake are sliced, baked and chopped to your preferred size. Apple cider adds another layer of yum and helps to make milopita light and airy. I always like to freshly grind the cardamom seeds as they bump up the flavor and are the perfect complement to apples.

To bake your apples, just peel, core, thinly slice and layer in a baking pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. This is about 5 minutes less than you would bake them for Oven Baked Apples and leaves your milopita apples with a little bit of crunch and a bit more texture.

You can do this step ahead and keep your baked apples covered, refrigerated for 3-4 days.

To read more, including Ingredients, please visit: Greek Vegan

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Friday, 12 February 2016 07:00

Stuffed Tomatoes Filled With Love - For Valentine's Day

The perfect Valentine’s Day meal may very well be Greek stuffed tomatoes (ντομάτες γεμιστές). Simply delicious, gorgeous red and filled with love.

The crunch of the pine nuts and sweetness of the red currants in this recipe are just amazing and bring so much to the dish so do try and find both, if possible. It’s also a good idea to take an extra minute in the grocery store to choose large, meaty tomatoes all of approximate similar size and shape. This will help to ensure even cooking and will be prettier on your plate!

You can easily make the filling ahead up to 5 days and keep covered, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Just remember to bring filling to room temperature before filling.

Ingredients

•8 medium/large tomatoes

•1 cup chopped onion

•1 cup (uncooked) rice

•1⁄2 cup olive oil

•1⁄4 cup currants

•1⁄4 cup pine nuts

•1⁄4 cup fresh mint

•1⁄4 cup fresh dill

•2 cups water

•1 1⁄2 tsp salt and pepper

•1 cup of tomato insides, mashed

•3⁄4 cup warm water (in addition to 2 cups above)

To read more, and Instructions on how to prepare, please visit: Pappas Post

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Tuesday, 23 February 2016 07:00

Revithia Sto Fourno / Baked Chickpeas

Revithia sto fourno, baked chickpeas, is something everyone MUST make at least once – it’s just that good. Using only five of the most ordinary of ingredients, this positively perfect authentic, rustic peasant dish is a cinch to make for the modern home cook.

Two big time-savers include subbing in canned chickpeas (good quality, of course) for dried and making your caramelized onions up to 4 days ahead. Fresh chopped rosemary, olive oil and salt/pepper round out your shopping list for this one so seriously, give it a try – YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

Of course, when you have the time, it’s always good to start with dried beans and boil your own so I’ve included the boiling directions below. As I mentioned above though, it’s absolutely acceptable to substitute canned chickpeas here. Either way you go, remember to RESERVE either 2 cups of boiling liquid or 2 cups of the canning liquid to use in the recipe. It helps give an really nice, extra creaminess to the beans.

And caramelizing the onions is easy to do especially with the oven method shared here. It’s honestly just a matter of setting aside the time to peel and slice the onions. The amount written may seem like more than you need but the thing is the onions really shrink down to a fraction of their original volume. Their sensational sugary, golden brown goodness infuses right into your chickpeas while they’re baking so they’re a KEY ingredient here. Just jump right in, start with one onion and they’ll just fly, you’ll be finished in no time!

Ingredients

1 pound dried chickpeas (soacked and boiled until tender) or four 15oz cans
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups reserved boiling liquid from chickpeas, or liquid from can
1 tbsp dried chopped rosemary
2 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups caramelized onions

To read more, and to discover how to make Revithia sto Fourno, please visit: The Greek Vegan

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Sunday, 03 April 2016 07:00

Tahini & Chocolate Mousse

This guilt-free dessert is perfect for lent and all the health-conscious chocolate lovers out there. It's easy to make, dairy-free, and full of healthy fats and antioxidants. The avocado and tahini combination may seem questionable, but it adds a unique element that will surely please your taste buds.

Serves: 2

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 ripe avocado

2 TBS tahini

¼ cup almond milk

1 TBS chia seeds

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 TBS cacao powder

8 drops liquid stevia

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender.

Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.

Spoon mousse into a glass jar or cup and chill slightly before eating.

Enjoy for breakfast or dessert.

To read this recipe in full, please visit: Supercharged Food.

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Tuesday, 12 April 2016 07:00

Vegan Olive Oil And Orange Cookies

Not all desserts have to be chocolate, right? Try these vegan olive oil and orange cookies, which align perfectly with the healthy mediterranean diet. This recipe is a great way to give in to your sweet tooth without feeling guilty.

Ingredients:

200 g olive oil
120 g orange juice
Grated zest from 1 orange
200 g granulated sugar
½ cup cognac
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
600 g flour
A generous amount of sesame seeds (optional)

To learn how to make these delicious cookies, please visit: Akis Petretzikis

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Monday, 16 May 2016 07:00

Traditional Greek Bulgur Salad - Pligourisalata

There is no better time than Spring to make a traditional Greek Bulgur salad as a tasty and light meal. Kiki Vagianos, from The Greek Vegan, shares a favorite vegan dish that uses the traditional Greek bulgur and is similar to tabouli. This bulgur salad is loaded with nutrients, filled with fresh vegetables and herbs and dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil.

Kiki says bulgur salad is one of her favorite quick lunches. With a pita pocket stuffed with hummus and a few big spoonfuls of bulgur salad – you’ll never feel that 3pm slump with this for lunch, she promises you!

Ingredients:

1 cup dried bulgur (soaked in 1/2 cup water for 1 hour)
3 cups chopped parsley (just under a bunch)
2 cups chopped cilantro (approx 1/2 bunch)
1 cup chopped mint (1/3 of a bunch)
2 cups chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp salt/pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

For more on this recipe and full instructions, please visit: The Greek Vegan

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Thursday, 02 June 2016 07:00

Top Things To Eat And Drink In Athens

Travel blogger and author Rebecca Hall, shares her advice on the best dishes and drinks in Athens and the local spots to find them! Here are just a few:

1. Koulouri

This tasty snack is a simple ring of bread sprinkled with sesame seeds or cheese and olives and is sold from koulouri stands all over the city.

Where to Get Koulouri: To koulouri tou Psyri is the bakery that supplies the majority of stands in the Athens area, and it is located in the Psyri neighborhood of Athens, near Monastiraki.

2. Souvlaki

The Greek version of fast food, it’s actually quite healthy. Souvlaki (loosely translated “little skewer”) is cubes of grilled pork or lamb on a stick. Most often it is served with tomato, onion, parsley, tzatziki and fries wrapped in pita bread.

Where to Get Souvlaki: The locals tend to go to Kosta’s, operating since 1950 and located just off Mitropoleos Street near Syntagma Square.

3. Greek Coffee

Ground coffee beans and cold water are slowly brought to a boil in a small pot called a briki with your desired amount of sugar . Then the sweetened coffee is poured into your cup. Like everything else in Greece, it’s designed to be enjoyed slowly.

Where to Find Greek Coffee: Greek coffee can be ordered in any café, but the best non-touristy places in central Athens are located in Iroon Square in the neighborhood of Psiri, near Monasteraki.

To read this article in full, please visit: On Board

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Tuesday, 19 November 2019 07:00

Greek Fried Eggs

An easy and delicious breakfast treat; the Greek fried egg! Greek Boston shares their recipe on how to get a perfect Greek fried egg every time.

The secret is to use plenty of olive oil and then constantly baste the eggs with the hot oil until the egg was cooked perfectly.

Serves: 2-4
Difficulty: Easy
Cooks in: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bread, for dipping

Cooking Instructions

Add olive oil to a large skillet. Set the heat to medium, and let the oil heat-up for a few minutes. When oil is hot, add the whole, cracked eggs one at a time.

Raise the heat to medium high and cook the eggs for a minute or two until the egg whites actually turn white. Turn the heat down to medium and using a spoon or small ladle, baste the eggs with the hot oil until the tops are cooked with the consistency you desire. If you like the yolk to remain a little runny, you’ll only need to baste the tops for a minute or two, for thoroughly cooked yolks, you’ll need to keep them in the pan a little longer.

Spoon the fried eggs onto each plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and make sure you serve it with plenty of fresh bread.

To read this recipe in full, please visit: Greek Boston

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Thursday, 07 July 2016 07:00