The islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas are numerous. Each and every one of them is unique, and even those that belong to the same geographical complex pose characteristic differences. Due to the fact that the islands by nature are in some way isolated, they have developed their unique flora and fauna, leading to the differentiation of their cuisines.
Moussaká is perhaps the most emblematic Greek summer dish. It can be found at almost every restaurant in Greece and every Greek restaurant in the world. Basically it is made with two summer vegetables, eggplant and zucchini, but potatoes are usually added or used as a substitute to one of the two basic vegetables.
Stuffed tomatoes is the ultimate Greek summer dish. “Yemistá” as we call them is a meal that we enjoy eating this time of the year when tomatoes are rich in flavor, juicier and much tastier. They are usually stuffed with rice and different fresh herbs and baked in the oven, that being the most popular version. There is also a version where the stuffing is a mixture of minced meat sauce and rice -that is more of a Sunday treat. Today we’ve got for you the veggie version, meaning that rice is the basic stuffing ingredient. We hope you enjoy it!
There are many features that define the Greek cuisine. One of them is the abundant presence of dips. Our dips are mostly made from vegetables or legumes and are usually served as appetizers. They are a real treat, full of Mediterranean flavors and always hard to resist to!
Since summer is on its way and one of the most characteristic vegetables of the season are the eggplants, we decided to show you today how to prepare an eggplant dip.
When it comes to consuming pasta, it can be said that Greeks are as passionate as Italians! It is a fact that we consume a huge amount of pasta and there are many dishes in the Greek cuisine that are based on pasta, the most famous of which are two: The “pastitsio” , which we had presented some time ago and an oven dish called “Youvetsi”.
Shrimp saganáki is one of the most popular Greek appetizers. With the term “saganáki” we refer to a dish that contains fried cheese. The cheese can be a type of gruyere, kefalotíri , feta or haloumi. In this appetizer the shrimp is combined with feta. The texture of the cheese and its mellow taste when eventually cooked, make it easier to blend with the sweet, tender and full of sea flavors shrimp.
Bread plays an essential role in the Greeks’ daily diet. It’s always present on our table, either being lunchtime or dinnertime. There are different types of bread made in the country, depending on the area, what type of flour is used and if yeast or leftover dough is used as a leavening agent.
Sometimes other ingredients are added to the dough, like olives, peppers or herbs. Olive bread is very popular here in Greece. It’s called “eliópsomo” and it is usually served with appetizers or salads. But it’s so tasty that it can be enjoyed on its own!
