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nadellii

Active member
I am trying to eat healthy so I bought some chickpeas and the other ingredients for my favorite soup. It came out amazing. This is the recipe I used:

Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups vegetable broth or water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges, fresh parsley, and olive oil for serving

Instructions:
1. Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and set them aside.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
4. Add minced garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
5. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, dried oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, and cook for a minute or until fragrant.
6. Add the soaked chickpeas and vegetable broth or water to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for approximately 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender.
7. Once the chickpeas are cooked, remove the bay leaves, and blend half of the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender to create a creamy consistency.
8. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to combine. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
9. Let the soup simmer for another 5-10 minutes until heated through.
10. Serve the soup hot, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some fresh parsley.
 
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Reactions: Laura48
I am trying to eat healthy so I bought some chickpeas and the other ingredients for my favorite soup. It came out amazing. This is the recipe I used:

Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups vegetable broth or water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Lemon wedges, fresh parsley, and olive oil for serving

Instructions:
1. Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and set them aside.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add chopped onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
4. Add minced garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
5. Add tomato paste, bay leaves, dried oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, and cook for a minute or until fragrant.
6. Add the soaked chickpeas and vegetable broth or water to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for approximately 1 hour or until the chickpeas are tender.
7. Once the chickpeas are cooked, remove the bay leaves, and blend half of the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender to create a creamy consistency.
8. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to combine. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
9. Let the soup simmer for another 5-10 minutes until heated through.
10. Serve the soup hot, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some fresh parsley.
Love the sound of this, healthy, fresh and vegan, exactly what I need ?
 
Love the sound of this, healthy, fresh and vegan, exactly what I need ?
I know, same. I love chickpeas - it's my favorite legume. I made something like this once kind of by accident. I was prepping to make a white bean soup (fasolada) and realized that when I soaked the beans, they got all messed up - the skins came off, etc. I don't know how that happened, but the onion was already sautéing and the other ingredients were prepped. I had some canned chickpeas and used that instead. It was delicious! In eyeballing this recipe, it is very similar to what I ended up doing.
 
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Reactions: Laura48
Thanks guys! I forgot to mention that I substitute canned chickpeas (about 2 cans) when I decide at the last minute I want the soup. Soaking the beans only works for me if I plan ahead and I don't always.
 

Do you make your pastitsio with a thick or thin layer of krema?

I've always preferred my pastitsio with a nice, thick layer of béchamel on top. To me, that's one of the best parts of the dish! I love when the krema is rich, creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape when you cut into the pastitsio.

The problem is that I've been having trouble getting my krema just right. Sometimes it comes out too thin, and other times the texture isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I've tried adjusting the amount of flour and milk, but I still haven't found the perfect balance.

I'm curious how everyone else makes theirs. Do you prefer a thick layer of béchamel or just enough to cover the pasta? Does your family add eggs or cheese to the mixture?

I'd especially love to hear any tips for making a thick, smooth krema that sets beautifully when baked!

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?

Do you put potatoes in your briam?

I've noticed that there are quite a few variations of briam, especially when it comes to which vegetables people include. One ingredient I'm particularly curious about is potatoes. Do you always put potatoes in your briam, or do you prefer making it without them?

I usually think of briam as a combination of zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and plenty of olive oil. I love how the potatoes absorb all those wonderful flavors as everything slowly roasts together in the oven.

However, I've seen recipes that leave the potatoes out entirely and focus more on the summer vegetables. I imagine that makes the dish a little lighter.

I'm also curious whether there are regional differences in how briam is prepared throughout Greece. Does your family have a particular way of making it? And what vegetables do you consider absolutely essential?

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.

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!
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