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20 + 1 Greek sweets and desserts
I’ve always had a sweet tooth. Having grown up in Northern Greece, I’ve become an expert in (savouring) Greek sweets and desserts. In the last few years, I have often re-created those sweets and desserts from my homeland, though I am yet to become an expert in baking/making Greeks sweets and desserts. Here are some of the most iconic Greek sweets and desserts, with links to the recipes. Some of these recipes are mine, whereas some are by Akis Petretzikis, a Greek chef that I trust and follow. Μπουγάτσα (Bougatsa) Bougatsa is a pie made with phyllo pastry and typically served in the morning (breakfast or brunch). It is very…
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The Traveling Psychiatrist is ready to travel again
Earlier this month, on the 16th of June, the Traveling Psychiatrist (the blog, not the blogger) turned 3 years old. This anniversary prompted me to reflect on my blogging journey so far, and re-visit the last 54 posts (published over the last 52 weeks). At the same time, fully vaccinated and on the verge of a burn-out, I have decided to take a break (from my work and from blogging) and travel again. I am not going to reveal my travel plans as yet, but I promise I will soon come back with tips about places I’ve never visited before. But before I go, I will re-visit the posts published…
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Lagana: the traditional Greek sesame flatbread
Today is a bank holiday in Greece, known as ‘Kathara Deftera’ (lit. Clean Monday). In the Greek Orthodox liturgical calendar, Kathara Deftera is the start of the Great Lent, and as such, it is the equivalent to Shrove Monday. The day falls on the 7th Monday before the (Orthodox) Easter; it follows the 3 weeks of Carnival celebrations (‘Apokries’). Kite-flying is one of the main Kathara Deftera customs, often accompanied by outdoor dining. The menu consists of seafood, taramasalata (fish roe dip), halva, and lagana, a traditional Greek sesame flatbread, baked only on this day. Although most Greeks buy their laganas from a bakery, it is an easy bread to bake…
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Moussaka: a classic Greek dish
I was born on this day quite a few years ago. For many years, I would celebrate my birthday with my friends and family, either in Thessaloniki, where I was born and raised, or in England, where I’ve lived for the last 12 years. This year, however, a birthday party is simply not an option. I shouldn’t be complaining though; instead, I am spending this special day with my mother, who’s come all the way from Greece to London. To mark the occasion, I’ve baked a classic Greek (albeit not Christmassy) dish: moussaka. Moussaka is perhaps the best-known Greek dish. It is a layered dish, traditionally made with fried sliced…
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Tomato pie with phyllo pastry
Traditional Greek stuffed vegetables (tomatoes and peppers). Baked tomato fritters from Santorini. Spinach and feta cheese pie. Greek semolina halva with orange and honey. These are some of the traditional Greek recipes I’ve recently experimented with. Today, I am using the basic ingredients I used in these recipes to create something different, but as delicious: a tomato pie. For me, the star ingredient in the recipe is -surprise, surprise- the tomato, one of my favourite ingredients and protagonist in my diet. Tomatoes are rich in various antioxidants and the major dietary source of lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.…
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Greek semolina halva with orange and honey
A few days ago, the Great British Bake Off crowned its 2020 winner. But don’t worry if you are yet to watch the final episode, I’m not going to spoil it for you. I am only going to say that it inspired me to take a break from my savoury bakes and make something sweet this week. Staying true to my roots, I opted for a traditional Greek dessert: halva. The word ‘halva’ (‘halvas’ in Greek) is used to describe two different types of desserts: a semolina-based one and a tahini-based one, which is called ‘Makedonikos halvas’ (Macedonian halva). I made the former. Traditionally, the recipe calls for 4 main ingredients:…
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Traditional Greek stuffed vegetables
Although I am neither a vegetarian nor a vegan, stuffed vegetables is my favorite Greek dish. ‘Yemista’, as it is called in Greek, is one of those dishes that I’d rather have at home than at a tavern. When I was a child, it was always my grandmother who’d make this delicious dish; if I didn’t happen to be in her house, she would always find a way to send a few portions to mine. Now that I am an adult, I’ve simply taken over that role myself. For me, ‘yemista’ have always been tomatoes and bell peppers stuffed with rice and baked in the oven. As a child, I…
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Baked tomato fritters from Santorini
I recently started tweaking traditional Greek recipes, foods that I enjoyed as a child and I still enjoy every time I visit my home country. To showcase the Greek cuisine and Mediterranean diet, this week I’m baking tomato fritters (known as ‘domatokeftedes’ in Greek). This dish is very popular in Santorini, where it is served as an appetiser. Traditionally, tomato fritters are deep-fried and not baked. But, since I am an advocate for healthy eating, I swapped the frying pan for the oven. Despite being eaten and prepared as vegetables, tomatoes are actually fruits. They are rich in various antioxidants and the major dietary source of lycopene, which has been…
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Baked zucchini (courgette) fritters
Two days ago, England went to a second national lockdown, and so have many other countries around the world. During the spring lockdown earlier this year, I must have baked more cakes and biscuits that any other time of my life; each week I came up with a new recipe, inspired by my travels, but tweaked to make it healthier than it would have been otherwise. This time around, I have decided to tweak traditional Greek recipes, foods that I enjoyed as a child and I still enjoy every time I visit my home country. To continue a tradition I actually started a few weeks ago, this week I’m baking…
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Spinach and feta cheese pie
A few days ago, on the 28th of October, Greeks all around the world celebrated 80 years from the rejection of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This ultimatum, presented to the Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas on 28 October 1940, demanded from Greece to allow Italy and the Axis forces to enter Greek territory, or otherwise face war. Metaxas answered ‘ohi’ (‘no’ in Greek) and this marked the beginning of the country’s participation in World War II. In Greece, the anniversary of ‘ohi’ is commemorated every year with military and student parades. As I’ve been in London for almost a month now, I decided to cook a Greek recipe:…