1 - 2 of 2 Posts

toniiv

Active member
I love to grill - it's that time of year! I grilled some souvlaki the other day and decide to also make some pita bread. I had the dough all prepped. It came out great and tasted good with the souvlaki. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:​

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110°F)
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:​

  1. Activate the Yeast:
    • In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
  2. Prepare the Dough:
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
    • Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
    • Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until the dough starts to come together.
  3. Knead the Dough:
    • Transfer the dough onto a floured surface.
    • Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour as needed.
  4. First Rise:
    • Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat all sides with oil.
    • Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
  5. Shape the Pitas:
    • Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release any air.
    • Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
    • On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into a circle about 1/4 inch thick.
  6. Second Rise:
    • Place the rolled-out dough circles on a lightly floured surface or baking sheet.
    • Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise for about 20-30 minutes.
  7. Grill the Pitas:
    • Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
    • Place the pitas on the grill and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are puffed up and have nice grill marks.
    • If you prefer, you can also cook them in a cast-iron skillet or on a griddle over medium-high heat.
 
This recipe looks amazing! Thanks for sharing
 

How does your family season dolmades?

I’ve been thinking about how much dolmades can vary from one family to another, especially when it comes to seasoning. Even when the basic ingredients are similar, the flavor can be completely different depending on which herbs and spices are used.

How does your family season dolmades? Do you use mostly dill and parsley, or do you add mint as well? I’ve also seen recipes that include green onions, oregano, or even a little cinnamon, especially when meat is part of the filling.

I’m curious whether you season the rice mixture pretty heavily before rolling the grape leaves or keep it simple and let the lemon and olive oil provide most of the flavor. Does your family add lemon juice directly to the filling, or only during cooking and serving?

I’d especially love to hear about any regional or family traditions. What gives your dolmades their distinctive flavor?

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 make Greek lentil soup with vinegar

I’ve always made fakes with a splash of vinegar, either stirred into the pot near the end or added individually at the table. To me, that little bit of acidity is part of what makes the soup taste right, especially with the earthy lentils, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

But I have a Greek friend who makes hers very differently. She doesn’t use vinegar at all and instead adds quite a lot of tomato product, so her version is much redder and more tomato-forward than mine.

Now I’m curious about what is considered more traditional in Greek cooking. Is vinegar usually a standard part of fakes, or is it more of a regional or family preference? Are tomato-heavy versions just as traditional?

How do you make yours, and what did your family serve growing up?

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?

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!
Sign up for a free account and share your thoughts, photos, questions about Greek food, travel and culture!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top