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auroracoor1

Active member
It's super simple! Here's how to make it :) :)
  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
  • 1 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil or oregano leaves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
 
What can I use tomato paste for?
 
Here is my Greek style sauce:

1. Canned tomato sauce, paste or fresh tomatoes
2. Fresh basil
3. Sea salt
4. Pepper
5. Greek oregano
6. Fresh garlic or garlic powder

Slow simmer for about 2 hours while mixing every 15 minutes, this is my Greek style sauce/paste :)
 
What can I use tomato paste for?
Many Greek recipes use tomato paste, like fasolakia (green beans). I also sneak a little bit in my lentil soup (fakes). You can also add some water and turn it into a tomato sauce. I sometimes even put a little in my pastitsio when I am cooking the ground beef!
 
What can I use tomato paste for?
You can reconstitute it with a little water to make it more like a sauce. There's something special about homemade tomato paste - it has a fresher flavor than the stuff you get in a can. You can use it wherever tomato paste or tomato sauce are called for in recipes.
 
What can I use tomato paste for?
Add water to it and then start using it when you make lentils, green beans, green peas, baked chicken and okra, octopus (served with pasta - a very common dish served in Greek schools), soutzoukakia, yiouvetsi, kokkinisto, and several other dishes
 
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Yes, this is the base for so many Greek dishes!
 
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Yes, this is the base for so many Greek dishes!
LOL seriously! If you want to know how to make anything taste good, just add a little tomato sauce/paste/juice. We seriously put it in just about everything.
 

Greek cooking without a recipe?

I've been thinking about how much traditional Greek cooking relies on instinct rather than following exact recipes. Some of the Greek dishes I learned to make were taught to me by feel, with someone showing me what to do rather than measuring everything out.

I actually enjoy cooking this way, but I've noticed that it can make certain dishes difficult to recreate consistently! Sometimes everything comes together perfectly, and other times I wonder what I did differently.

I'm curious how others approach this. Did you learn Greek cooking by watching your yiayia, mother, or other relatives? Do you measure ingredients, or do you just know when something looks, smells, or tastes right?

Is lamb or beef more traditional for giouvetsi?

I've been looking into traditional Greek giouvetsi recipes lately, and I'm curious about which meat is considered the most traditional. I've seen recipes that use lamb, others that call for beef, and even some that use chicken.

I love the idea of slowly cooking the meat in a rich tomato sauce with orzo until everything becomes tender and flavorful. However, I'm wondering whether lamb or beef would be the more authentic choice.

Is one traditionally preferred in certain regions of Greece? I've read that lamb is often associated with older Greek recipes, but beef seems to be very common in modern versions of giouvetsi.

I'm also curious whether the choice of meat changes the way the dish is prepared. Does lamb require different seasonings or cooking times than beef?

For those familiar with traditional Greek cooking, which version do you prefer, and which would you recommend trying first?

My Family’s Keftedes Recipe

Keftedes are one of those foods that always remind me of family gatherings. Everyone seems to make them a little differently, but this is the basic version my family has always used.

For about a pound of ground beef, we add one small grated onion, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, a little fresh mint, one egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and a small splash of red wine vinegar. Sometimes we add a little grated garlic as well.

The important part is mixing everything well and then letting the mixture sit in the refrigerator for a little while before shaping the keftedes. We make them fairly small, roll them lightly in flour, and fry them in olive oil until browned on the outside and cooked through.

We usually serve them with lemon, potatoes, salad, or tzatziki.

How does your family make keftedes? I’m especially curious about which herbs and seasonings everyone uses. Thought I'd share!

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?

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?
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