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GreekGirlCooks

Active member
I love cooking, and I learned at a very young age. I love being able to share my Greek heritage with people. I have some favorite recipes to share with my non-Greek friends:

- Spanakopita - I have had so many people ask me how to make it!
- Tiropita - I don't actually have a set recipe - I always make it differently, and for me, that is part of the charm. It always has at last feta, though!
- Village salad - It is my favorite salad, and I only make it in the summer when everything is fresh, so it's a real treat
- Souvlaki - this is a crowd pleaser and a great addition to any barbecue!

How about you? What do you like to cook for Greek food?
 
Your favorite recipes are all crowd pleasers and very popular with non Greeks and Greeks.
My favorite are
Pastichio
Gemista
Imam
Makarionia me kima
Tzatziki
Taramosalata
And Baklava (a dessert but love it)
 
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Your favorite recipes are all crowd pleasers and very popular with non Greeks and Greeks.
My favorite are
Pastichio
Gemista
Imam
Makarionia me kima
Tzatziki
Taramosalata
And Baklava (a dessert but love it)
Love this! I haven't made makaronia me kima in a while. I will have to dust off my recipe.
 
Giouvetsi, ladopsomo, tigania kotopoulo, kokkinisto, saganaki me meli kai sousami, gavros tiganitos
 
Giouvetsi, ladopsomo, tigania kotopoulo, kokkinisto, saganaki me meli kai sousami, gavros tiganitos
Excellent choices - I also love cooking ladopsomo and many of the others you mentioned. I made makaronia me kima (Chef Pemi inspired me) and forgot how much I love that too!
 
My favorites to make are:

- Spanakopita
- Fasolakia
- Plaki
- Koulourakia
- Horiatiki

Great thread!
 

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?

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.

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 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?

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?
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