Greek Food to Make at Home

Greek Food to Make at Home

Greek food is known for its rich flavors, simple ingredients and local seasonal produce, cooked low and slow. It’s this unique combination that allows the flavors to infuse and the magic to happen.

But even if you don’t have a slow cooker in your backyard or a wood-fired oven at home, you can still easily make some of your favorite Greek foods.

Food in Greece– the basics

Before you get started, for oven based dishes, opt for a clay oven or terracotta pot for the best results, and in some cases a slow-cooker for tenderizing meat.

There’s also a few staple ingredients associated with Greek food you would be wise to stock up on. These include; Greek honey, olive oil, lemons, tomatoes, rose water, ouzo, cinnamon and oregano.

However, the best introduction to Greek cuisine is seeing it made first hand. This way you get a feel for the techniques and ingredients used, many which have been passed on from generation to generation. If you’re visiting Greece, then be sure to embark on a food tour – the best way to get up close and personal.

Finally, if you’re looking for recipe inspiration, there’s some great cookery books from Greek chefs on the market, including Tess Kiros, Theo Michaels and Tonia Buxton, that are worth checking out.

 

Kleftico

There’s nothing quite like kleftico, when it comes to humble Greek food that tastes incredible. This simple dish uses just five ingredients, which is key to its simple and delicious taste; fresh lamb, lemon, potato, oregano and olive oil.

Tess Kiros’ lemon lamb dish is the sort that will have you dreaming about lamb for weeks to come. It requires you to season the lamb (1.5kg), and cover it with the freshly squeezed juice of seven lemons and a healthy pour of olive oil. The key here is to turn the meat in the fridge every hour (except when you’re sleeping) at least 24 hours in advance. The lamb is then cooked on a low heat, alongside thinly cut potatoes, for 6-7 hours.

The result is tender, delicious lamb, with an authentic Greek taste.

 

Souvlaki

Another Greek food favorite is souvlaki. This street food dish is easy to rustle up at home. Simply mix pork cubes with slices of pepper and cover in oregano and oven cook for up to half an hour. In the meantime, chop some lettuce, red onion and tomato and make (or buy) a Greek dip (Tzatziki). Heat your pitta, and when they’re ready to stuff and serve.

For an extra greek touch, serve with hand-cut chips covered in olive oil and oregano.

 

Greek Salad

Greek food at its best, a good Greek salad is unbeatable. Serve as a main, or a side, with warm crusty bread or pitta and hummus for all the Greek feels!

Simply cut tomatoes into cube slices (beef tomatoes are good for this) add chunks of cucumber, and Greek Kalamata olives. Invest in a good feta and you’ll notice the difference. Feta shouldn’t be sliced or chopped, but broken by hand for an authentic feel. The whole presentation of a Greek salad should be rustic. Complete with a generous lashing of olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano and you’ll be in food heaven.

 

Keftedes

Keftedes, also known as Greek meatballs, bring a Mediterranean twist on a much-loved favorite.

Made in exactly the same way as normal meatballs, the key difference here is the ingredients. The mince used is a pork-beef mix, which gives it such a juicy flavor. On top of this, red onion, fresh parsley and a touch of mint and oregano are included to deliver the unmistakable taste of Greek. Once fried these can be served with a greek salad, some rice, chips or pitta bread. Unlike the Italian method of mixing these into pasta, they tend to be savored on their own. Once you’ve taken a bite you’ll see why!