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mastichas09

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I recently had a pastitsio that I thought was delicious, so I asked for the recipe.

I was surprised that there was some tomato sauce in it! My family never did that.

So, I made it according to the recipe, and I loved it - but I am still not 100% sure if I would have liked it better without the tomato sauce (the way my family makes it).

I am curious - how do you guys feel about putting tomato sauce in your pastitsio?
 
Was the tomato sauce on the pasta or just in the meat? I use a small can of tomato paste in the meat, and a bit of cinnamon, but no tomato sauce on pasta.

There are regional variations in just about all Greek cooking. If you enjoy it with tomato sauce, than do it. If you prefer it without, do it that way. The whole purpose of food is for you and your family to enjoy it. LOL.

I assure you no matter how you make it there will be no "pastitsio police" showing up at your door. Enjoy it the way you all like it.
 
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We cook the ground beef in the tomato sauce, but when we are in our village we make our village's version of pastitsio which is completely different than what you'd get in the rest of Greece... it has no ground beef in it or tomato sauce
 
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We cook the ground beef in the tomato sauce, but when we are in our village we make our village's version of pastitsio which is completely different than what you'd get in the rest of Greece... it has no ground beef in it or tomato sauce
How is it different? I am intrigued!
 
Was the tomato sauce on the pasta or just in the meat? I use a small can of tomato paste in the meat, and a bit of cinnamon, but no tomato sauce on pasta.

There are regional variations in just about all Greek cooking. If you enjoy it with tomato sauce, than do it. If you prefer it without, do it that way. The whole purpose of food is for you and your family to enjoy it. LOL.

I assure you no matter how you make it there will be no "pastitsio police" showing up at your door. Enjoy it the way you all like it.
The tomato paste was in the ground meat and there was a little bit of cinnamon flavor in it! I love that you said there will be no pastitsio police hahaha. That hit home, because I have been paranoid that a family member would find out I changed the family recipe a little bit and then yell at me LOL.
 

How to learn about different regional cuisines in Greece?

I have learned so much about Greek cuisine by being on this forum! I know that there are standard recipes that everyone seems to cook.

For example, you can get souvlaki all over. Everyone seems to serve a village salad with slight variations. Most regions seem to make moussaka. There are tons of others.

I have also noticed that each region has their own specialties. How do you go about learning about them?

greek-salad.jpg

What do you think of Gyro variations?

There are some gyro shops near me in the United States and they seem to be putting a different spin on the classic dish. There are some variations. What do you guys think of the variations?

I don't recall seeing these variations in Greece, but I could be wrong. Variations such as - gyros made with different meats, like chicken, those made with Greek meatballs, souvlaki, etc.

And what do you think of putting fries in Gyros? I do see that in Greece.

Greek grilling advice and tips?

It's getting warm out and time to break out the grill! I am interested in how do Greek people in Greece grill? I've had so many delicious grilled foods in Greece, I am having a hard time getting the same flavors here in the United States.

I've tried my hand at a few recipes, aiming to capture that authentic taste, but I feel like there's a deeper level of technique and tradition that I'm just not hitting. From choosing the right ingredients to mastering the grill itself, I know there’s a wealth of subtleties that can turn a good dish into a great one.

Do they use certain marinades or techniques? I've watched people in Greece grill - they don't even really follow recipes.

Different kinds of baklava to try?

I've recently found myself on a delicious quest to explore the world of baklava, that rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey or syrup. I understand that baklava has roots in many culinary traditions across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, each bringing its own unique twist to this iconic dessert.

From what I’ve gathered, the variations of baklava are as numerous as they are delicious, differing in nuts, spices, types of syrup, and preparation methods. However, navigating through these variations is quite the challenge, and that’s where I’m seeking your collective wisdom!

I am curious what you guys think!

Traditional Greek soups in Greece?

Most of the Greeks I know are from the United States - so it's been a few generations since a lot of them spent extended time in Greece.

From what I understand, Greek cuisine kind of changes. From what I can tell, in the United States, the most popular soup is Egg and Lemon soup (avgolemono) but in Greece, I don't see to as much or rather, hear of it as much.

What are the most popular soups in Greece?
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