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voula_slat

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I know that this isn't a traditionally Greek dish, just Greek inspired, but we have fun with it in my family.

You take a regular cheesecake recipe (the kind you have to bake), prepare it, and set it aside while prepping the baklava part.

Brush the cheesecake pan with better. Line it with a few sheets of phyllo - I eyeball it - and then brush it with butter. You want Mayne 3-4 layers of phyllo but make sure the pan is covered.

Prepare the nut filling of 2 cups ground nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and about a teaspoon or more of cinnamon (I eyeball it) in a bowl. Sprinkle over the phyllo. Pour the cheesecake filling over it, and bake the cheesecake as directed in the recipe.

When about to serve, prepare a simple syrup with honey, water, sugar, orange zest, and honey. You'll need about a cup of syrup.

baklava-cheesecake.jpg
 
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I know that this isn't a traditionally Greek dish, just Greek inspired, but we have fun with it in my family.

You take a regular cheesecake recipe (the kind you have to bake), prepare it, and set it aside while prepping the baklava part.

Brush the cheesecake pan with better. Line it with a few sheets of phyllo - I eyeball it - and then brush it with butter. You want Mayne 3-4 layers of phyllo but make sure the pan is covered.

Prepare the nut filling of 2 cups ground nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and about a teaspoon or more of cinnamon (I eyeball it) in a bowl. Sprinkle over the phyllo. Pour the cheesecake filling over it, and bake the cheesecake as directed in the recipe.

When about to serve, prepare a simple syrup with honey, water, sugar, orange zest, and honey. You'll need about a cup of syrup.

View attachment 1245
That looks delicious!
 
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That looks delicious!
It really does! I had this once at a restaurant but haven't thought to make it myself. The restaurant had made a regular cheesecake. Then, they had taken homemade baklava and chopped it, then crumbled it over the cake. They finished it off with a honey syrup that was lightly flavored with orange and cinnamon. I presume it was orange peel and a cinnamon stick they had removed in the process because I didn't see any flecks of ground cinnamon.
 
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Thank you voula_slat for sharing your recipe. It’s sooooo yummmmy and a crowd pleaser for sure.
When we were recipe testing for our book “Baking Baklava”, cheesecake Baklava was one of the recipes that when everyone tried it said they loved it and definitely needed to be in the book. We knew right there that it would be the most popular recipe in our book.
 
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Thank you voula_slat for sharing your recipe. It’s sooooo yummmmy and a crowd pleaser for sure.
When we were recipe testing for our book “Baking Baklava”, cheesecake Baklava was one of the recipes that when everyone tried it said they loved it and definitely needed to be in the book. We knew right there that it would be the most popular recipe in our book.
It sounds like an incredible flavor combination!
 
It really does! I had this once at a restaurant but haven't thought to make it myself. The restaurant had made a regular cheesecake. Then, they had taken homemade baklava and chopped it, then crumbled it over the cake. They finished it off with a honey syrup that was lightly flavored with orange and cinnamon. I presume it was orange peel and a cinnamon stick they had removed in the process because I didn't see any flecks of ground cinnamon.
A great way to end a meal! I definitely have to make something like this for my blog!
 

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.

How Much Garlic in a Batch of Tzatziki?

How much garlic do you usually put in a batch of tzatziki? I think I may be using a little too much. I usually make mine with about 2 cups of Greek yogurt and 4 cloves of garlic, along with cucumber, olive oil, and the other usual ingredients.

It tastes great when I first make it, but we usually take about three days to finish the batch. By the second or third day, the garlic flavor and smell become really strong. Some people in my household love that and don’t mind it at all, but others think it becomes a bit overpowering. I’m starting to agree that four cloves might be too much, especially since the garlic seems to get stronger as it sits.

What do you all do? How many cloves would you use for about 2 cups of Greek yogurt?

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?

What is the secret to making really good Greek lemon potatoes?

I've been making Greek lemon potatoes for years, and it's one of those dishes I make completely by feel. I don't measure anything, and I never really thought about how I make them because it's all second nature to me.

Recently, I tried teaching someone how to make them. Everything seemed straightforward while we were cooking together, but when they went home and tried making them on their own, all kinds of things went wrong! The potatoes weren't cooking evenly, the texture wasn't quite right, and the lemon flavor didn't come through the way it should.

It made me realize how much I rely on instinct when cooking traditional Greek food. I rarely write down recipes, so explaining every little detail is harder than I expected!

For those who make Greek lemon potatoes regularly, what tips would you give someone who's just learning?

What Is the Best Way to Serve Taramosalata?

I absolutely love taramosalata and have it pretty regularly at home, but I’m having some people over soon and was wondering about the best way to serve it when entertaining.

Normally I just eat it with some bread or pita, so I don’t really put much thought into presentation. For guests, though, I’d like to make it part of a nice Greek-style spread with a few other things on the table. I was thinking warm pita triangles, crusty bread, maybe some cucumber and other vegetables for dipping, but I’m curious what everyone else usually serves with it.

Do you drizzle a little olive oil over the top or add any kind of garnish? And are there particular meze that you think pair especially well with taramosalata?

I’d love some ideas for making it look a little more special while still keeping everything traditional and simple.
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