Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

Making Kopanisti for a Holiday Party?

1 - 2 of 2 Posts
dpappas87

dpappas87

Active member
I’m hosting a Christmas party this year and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to introduce my friends to one of my all-time favorite Greek treats: kopanisti! I absolutely love its spicy, tangy flavor, and I think it’ll make a fantastic addition to my party spread.

The thing is, I’ve never actually made kopanisti myself. I know it involves feta and sometimes Mykonos cheese, along with spices and olive oil, but I’d love some guidance on the process. Do I need any special ingredients or tools? How do you get that perfect creamy texture?

If anyone has a trusted recipe, tips, or even creative serving ideas, I’d be so grateful to hear them! I’d also love to know if you’ve tried variations of kopanisti that are especially crowd-pleasing.
 
Kopanisti is a fantastic choice for your Christmas party—it’s bold, flavorful, and a definite crowd-pleaser! The base is typically feta cheese, and if you can get Mykonos kopanisti (a spicy Cycladic cheese), it takes the flavor up a notch. Here’s a simple way to make it:
  1. Ingredients: Use about 200g feta, 50g Mykonos cheese (optional), 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, a splash of white wine or vinegar for tang, a finely chopped chili or red pepper flakes for heat, and a pinch of oregano.
  2. Process: Blend the feta and Mykonos cheese in a food processor with olive oil until creamy. Add the chili or flakes gradually, tasting as you go. The key to creaminess is good-quality olive oil and blending long enough for a smooth texture.
  3. Serving Ideas: Serve with warm pita, breadsticks, or crudités. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, chili flakes, or chopped fresh herbs. It pairs wonderfully with olives and sun-dried tomatoes!
 
1 - 2 of 2 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

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?

What herbs do you use when making Greek stuffed zucchini?

I've been thinking about making Greek stuffed zucchini (kolokithakia gemista), and I'm curious about which herbs everyone uses in the filling. I've seen quite a few variations, and it seems like the combination of herbs can really influence the overall flavor of the dish.

Some recipes use plenty of fresh dill and parsley, while others include mint or even a little oregano. I've also noticed that some people add green onions for extra flavor. I'm wondering whether certain herbs are considered more traditional, especially when making stuffed zucchini with rice and ground meat.

Do you use a combination of herbs, or do you prefer to keep the seasoning fairly simple? Does your family have a particular recipe that has been passed down through generations?

I'm especially interested in how the herbs complement the avgolemono sauce. What combination do you think gives Greek stuffed zucchini the best flavor?

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?

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?

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?
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