1 - 6 of 6 Posts

nadellii

Active member
My husband just picked up this amazing pastry from the Greek dessert store and he doesn’t remember the name!! ughhh!! Does anyone know what it’s called? I would love to order it again sometime soon. There’s cream inside and top is covered in almonds. It’s sooooo good. :)

BC6C5613-A0AB-40FA-893F-091703FAFEDD.jpeg
 
To me this looks like bougatsa...this looks SO amazing!!! ????
 
I think it's bougatsa, too. Was it creamy on the inside? I've seen bougatsa mostly with phyllo but in this case it looks like maybe the bougatsa was inside a puff pastry type of thing?
 
My husband just picked up this amazing pastry from the Greek dessert store and he doesn’t remember the name!! ughhh!! Does anyone know what it’s called? I would love to order it again sometime soon. There’s cream inside and top is covered in almonds. It’s sooooo good. :)

View attachment 931
It is a cream puff. In Greek, we call them sou (from the French pâte à choux). It is a light, delicate pastry dough, which is as it is baked, the water in the dough evaporates and the steam creates puffs in the pastry and creates a cavity that is filled with the cream.
The bougatsa on the other hand is pastry cream or some type of Greek cheese that is wrapped in phyllo pastry (in a similar way to spanakopita or tyropita).
 
  • Like
Reactions: seleanor
It is a cream puff. In Greek, we call them sou (from the French pâte à choux). It is a light, delicate pastry dough, which is as it is baked, the water in the dough evaporates and the steam creates puffs in the pastry and creates a cavity that is filled with the cream.
The bougatsa on the other hand is pastry cream or some type of Greek cheese that is wrapped in phyllo pastry (in a similar way to spanakopita or tyropita).
Very interesting, thanks! Ill make sure to ask for a sou next time I visit a Greek (or French) bakery!
 
Looks like bougatsa to me! One of my favorites
 

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!

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?

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?

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.
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