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mastichas09

Active member
I love Greek yogurt and I currently am learning how to make it. I thought I would share with you all what I do with it. Some of it is in "Greek cooking", and I also have other uses. My list:
  • I blend the yogurt into my morning smoothies with fruit for added protein - I don't like protein powder.
  • I make a yogurt cake and Greek yogurt is my favorite type of yogurt in the recipe.
  • I make a pasta dish that uses yogurt, kind of like an Alfredo sauce.
  • I love making tzatziki...
How do you use Greek yogurt in your cooking?
 
I don't use it in cooking. We grew up eating plain yogurt by itself. That's how I like it best. The fruit flavored yogurts seem like an American invention to me. We happily ate ours plain and it was homemade.

I've had yogurt cake and like that a lot, but other than that, don't use it on cooking.
 
I don't use it in cooking. We grew up eating plain yogurt by itself. That's how I like it best. The fruit flavored yogurts seem like an American invention to me. We happily ate ours plain and it was homemade.

I've had yogurt cake and like that a lot, but other than that, don't use it on cooking.
This is how I grew up, too! I started making yogurt cake because I always buy too much yogurt and often look for ways to use it up.
 
This is how I grew up, too! I started making yogurt cake because I always buy too much yogurt and often look for ways to use it up.
I think there's a recipe for a yogurt cake in one of my Greek cookbooks and I remember making it and it was good. You could probably find a recipe online. Good luck!
 
When it's whole-milk yogurt it will substitute for sour cream in a baked potato, a bit of a tang, but it works for me.
 

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!

What is your favorite Greek potato dish?

Potatoes show up in so many Greek meals, and I think they are often at their best when they soak up plenty of olive oil, lemon, herbs, and cooking juices.

Greek lemon potatoes are probably the first thing that comes to mind for me. I love when they are roasted until they are soft inside, a little crisp around the edges, and full of lemon and oregano. Potatoes cooked alongside chicken or lamb are also hard to beat because they absorb so much flavor from the pan.

I also enjoy simple boiled potatoes dressed with olive oil, lemon, parsley, and salt, especially with fish or grilled meat.

What Greek potato dish do you make most often? Do you prefer lemon potatoes, potatoes roasted with meat, fried potatoes, or something else? And is there a particular seasoning or family method that makes your version especially good?

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?

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 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?
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