Makes 1 (9 by 13 inch) baking pan for about 12 guests:
 
For the crust:

• ½ pound phyllo pastry, thawed and at room temperature
• ¾ pound unsalted butter, melted

 
For the filling:

• ¾ cup ground walnuts
• ¾ cup ground toasted almonds

• ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs (unseasoned)
• 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 eggs at room temperature, (whites and yolks separated)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar

 
For the syrup:

• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 and ½ cups water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Juice of half lemon

 
Preheat the oven 350 °F, 180 °C.
 
To make the syrup:In a small saucepan, combine all of the syrup ingredients except for the vanilla extract and bring to a boil stirring until the sugar is melted. Set aside to cool completely. The syrup must be cold.
 
To make the filling: Combine the walnuts, almonds, breadcrumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt and mix well to combine. 
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a table top mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the egg whites are thick, glossy and stiff peaks form. (Like meringue)
Transfer this mixture into a clean bowl. 
Place the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl that the whites were in and beat on high speed for a few minutes until thick and creamy. Add vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Whisk in the nut mixture.
Add 1/3 of the meringue mixture to the egg/nut batter and fold it in to lighten it up.
Gently fold in the remaining meringue taking care not to deflate it too much. Set aside.
 
To assemble the dessert:Grease the baking pan and layer and drizzle butter between 5 phyllo sheets. The excess phyllo can go up the pan and the remaining can just hang outside the baking pan.
Pour the nut meringue into the pan. Place the phyllo sheets that are hanging outside of the pan over the nut mixture.
Cover with 5 more layers of phyllo, drizzling butter between each sheet. Tuck the extra phyllo inside the edges of the pan.
Pour the remaining butter all over the top of the phyllo.
Scour the phyllo to create slices.
Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden.
 
As soon as the dessert comes out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup over it. Cut through the slices all the way to the bottom so that the syrup drenches the pastry.
Allow the pastry to absorb all of the syrup at room temperature for at least one hour.
 
Serve with some homemade whipped cream,ice creamor chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Makes 12-15 spiral pastries:
1-pound (13” by 18”) phyllo pastry sheets, thawed and at room temperature
6 ounces salted butter, melted
Optional: sesame seeds for garnish
For the Filling:
3 leeks, cleaned and sliced into half moons
2 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 roasted red peppers from the jar, diced
½ pound feta cheese, 
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
 
Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200°C.
 
Combine the leeks, olive oil, and some salt in a pot and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.
Add scallions and cook over high heat about 3-5 minutes.
Allow to cool and crumble feta cheese into the mixture. Fold in the diced red peppers and mint. Mix to combine then season with salt and pepper.
Fold in the beaten egg.
Remove the phyllo pastry from packaging and place it on your work surface. Work with it quickly so it does not dry out and begin to crumble. You can keep it from drying out by placing a dry kitchen on top of the phyllo then a slightly damp kitchen towel over it.
Take one phyllo sheet and drizzle with some melted butter. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the leek mixture along the widest side of the sheet. Fold it upward to form a log. Roll from the edges inward to form a spiral shape.
Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Brush the spirals with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds if desired.
Bake in the center rack of the oven until golden. About 35-40 minutes.
Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Make Ahead Instructions:

• Assemble the pastries and chill in the freezer (unbaked) until firm.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and keep frozen up to 3 weeks.
• When ready to bake, remove plastic and bake until golden.

 
 

Serves 6:
1 (8-9 oz.) puff pastry sheet, thawed 
Egg wash: 1 egg yolk plus 2 tablespoons water
Optional: sesame seeds for garnish
For the Cheese Filling:
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
4 oz ricotta cheese
¼ cup whole milk plain yogurt
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ tablespoons fresh chopped mint
1 egg
 
 
Preheat the oven to 400 °F, 200°C.
 
Lightly dust your work surface with some all-purpose flour. Roll out the puff pastry to a 12” by 15” rectangle. Place the puff pastry sheet on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Make an even number of diagonal cuts down each side (approx. 1 inch apart) of the rectangle. Chill in the refrigerator while the filling is prepared.
 
In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the ricotta cheese until combined. Add the crumbled feta and the yogurt. Mix well and season with a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
 
Spread the cheese mixture down the center of the prepared puff pastry.
 
Fold the diagonal strips of dough in a criss-cross pattern over the filling, forming a braid.
Press the ends together to seal the top and bottom.
 
Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
 
Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 25 minutes.
 
Bake in the center rack of the oven until puffed and golden brown. About 30-35 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before serving.
 
Make ahead tips:

• The puff pastry braid can be assembled, chilled in the freezer until firm, then wrapped with parchment paper and foil and kept frozen until ready to bake.
• It stays fresh in the freezer (unbaked) up to 3 weeks.
• When ready to bake, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and bake until puffed and golden. This can take 45-50 minutes.

 


 
 

 
Serves 1-2:
Approx. ½ cup (or more) Tomato & pepper sauce
2 eggs
¼ cup or less crumbled feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Toasted pita bread
 
Heat the sauce in a small pan.
Whisk the eggs with the salt, pepper, and feta cheese.
Add the egg mixture and cook over low heat while stirring to create scrambled eggs.
Cook until the eggs are cooked through but still moist.
Toast pita bread and top with the scrambled eggs.
This can be served as a sandwich or with bread on the side.
The scrambled egg mixture can also be served over toasted bread slices as crostini.
Enjoy!

Serves 2:
Approximately 1 cup of Greek Style Tomato & Red Pepper Sauce
About 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
sprig of basil for garnish
​toasted pita bread or toasted Italian bread

Warm the sauce in a small pan over medium high heat.
Make 2 indentations in the sauce for the eggs.
Place the eggs in the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.
Cook about 5 minutes or until the egg whites have set and are fully cooked and the yolk is still runny or to you preference.
garnish with a sprig of basil or with your favorite herb.

Serve with some toasted bread.  Enjoy! 

​Makes 17:
For the streusel topping:
2/3 cup (145g) of sugar
1/2 (70 g) cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ounces (113g) cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
a pinch of salt
For the batter:
1 and 2/3 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 (170g)ounces unsalted butter, soft and at room temperature
3/4 cups (150g) sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
zest of a lemon
3 cups (1lb) blueberries (dusted with flour)
 
Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 177 °C.  Place 17 cupcake (paper) liners inside 2 cupcake/muffin pans.

First, prepare the batter: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy and combined. Add the eggs, milk, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Beat until completely combined.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 3 batches. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix otherwise your cake will not be light.
Dust about a teaspoon of flour over the blueberries and mix them gently with your fingers so that they get lightly coated with flour. This will help them stay suspended in the cake and will prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
Fold the blueberries into your cake batter with a rubber spatula.

Now, make the streusel topping: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cold butter on top. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter until the mixture becomes crumbly.
 
Scoop ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake paper. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of streusel topping over the batter. Distribute the leftover (if there is any) streusel evenly on top of all of the muffins.

Bake one tray at a time (on the center rack of oven) for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the top is golden.


Allow the muffins to cool for about 1o minutes. Serve with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
 

Serves 3-4:
6 slices tsoureki bread, 1 inch thick 
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
​ground cinnamon, to taste
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons butter
​Toppings: Greek honey, maple syrup, or confectioner's sugar and some fresh fruit

​Combine the eggs and sugar in a 10 inch round deep dish pie plate. Whisk well to break up the eggs and combine.
​Add milk, cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Whisk well.
​Dip 3 slices of tsoureki into the custard. Pierce the slices with a fork so that the custard really soaks in.
Place a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
​Melt a tablespoon of butter in the skillet and place the soaked tsoureki slices in the pan. 
Cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden.
​Repeat the same steps with the remaining 3 pieces of tsoureki.
​Serve with fresh fruit and topped with maple syrup or Greek honey.
​Enjoy!

Serves 6-8
2 sheets puff pastry
​10 ounces baby spinach, chopped
3/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 scallions, finely sliced

1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
​egg wash: 1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons water

​Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, 204 degrees Celsius.

​Begin by preparing the spinach filling. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, feta, ricotta cheese, dill, salt, pepper, and scallions. Mix well until the spinach is completely coated with the cheeses and all of the ingredients are well incorporated. 
Taste and check for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
Mix in the egg and set the spinach mixture aside.
​Roll out each puff pastry sheet large enough so that an 11 inch circle can be cut out of the center. I like to use either a large bowl or a dinner plate.
​Save the scraps for another recipe. They stay fresh in the freezer for 2 weeks if wrapped tightly with plastic.
​Place one circle on a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
​Sprinkle the bread crumbs all over the puff pastry. These will absorb any excess liquid that is released during baking.
​Place 2 scoops of the spinach filling in the center of the circle.
​Create a ring with the remaining spinach filling leaving about 1/2 inch border all around the puff pastry.
​Do not allow the ring to connect with the filling in the center.
​Place the other puff pastry circle on top and seal the edges by pressing down with the tines of a fork.
​Place a small bowl (around 5- 6 inches in diameter) over the center filling and press down to create an indentation. Leave the bowl there.
​Cut 4 slits all around the pastry. If looking at it as a clock, one slit would be at the 12:00 position, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00.
Cut 4-5 more slits in each quadrant.
​Remove the bowl. Pierce the center with the tines of a fork a few times so that the steam releases during baking.
​Twist each outer section (the slices) so that the filling side faces up. Take care to not separate the slices from the center.
Brush the pastry with egg wash.
​Sprinkle sesame seeds over center and bake 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is puffy and golden all around.
​Serve with tzaztiki sauce.
​Enjoy!

Serves 12:
​For the roasted chicken:
1 whole roasted chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin powder
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

For the filling:
1/4 cup olive oil
​1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, whole
​2 bell peppers, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or rosemary
​other optional vegetables: chopped carrots, sliced mushrooms
​salt and freshly ground pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
​1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup grated gouda or mozzarella cheese

For the béchamel sauce:
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
​2 eggs

For the crust:
1 pound phyllo dough, thawed and at room temperature
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted
a few tablespoons of sesame seeds

​Note: I made this pie many times in various baking pans: 
​A 10 inch round deep dish pie pan produces a thicker pie.
A half sheet baking tray (12 by 17 inches) makes a thinner pie like the kind sold in Greece.
​A 13 by 9 inch baking pan (the kind I used in this video) creates my favorite serving portion. Not too thick and not too thin.

​Use whichever pan you have or prefer. You may even bake this in 2 smaller pans. 

​Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, 200 degrees Celsius.

​Wash the chicken with cold water and pat it dry. Make sure to remove anything that may be inside the cavity. 
​Pour the olive oil over the chicken and season both sides with the herbs and spices.
Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
​Remove the foil and bake uncovered 40 additional minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Allow to cool completely.

​In the meantime make the filling by cooking the garlic cloves with the diced onions and oil in a pan for about 15 minutes or until soft.
​Add the diced bell peppers, season with some salt and pepper and cook 5-6 minutes or until they soften and release their juices.
​When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat and set the bones aside to make broth another day.
Shred the meat or chop it. About 4 cups are needed for this recipe.
​Add the meat and the sautéed pepper mixture to a large bowl and mix well to combine.

​Make the béchamel sauce by combining the olive oil and flour to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat while whisking until it becomes slightly toasted.
​Add the milk, salt. pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine. Take care to not add too much salt. There will be lots of cheese in the filling which is already salty.
Bring the mixture to a boil and continue whisking until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
​Remove from heat and add  about a cup of this mixture to the eggs. Whisk to incorporate and to temper them.
​Add the egg mixture to the saucepan and whisk well to combine.
Pour the béchamel sauce into the mixing bowl with the filling. Add the cheeses and mix well.
​Add some fresh thyme and taste to see if any more salt and pepper is needed.
​I always add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. It's up to you to do the same or to just leave it out.
Set the filling aside.

​Note: Phyllo dough comes in various thicknesses. The thinner the phyllo, the more sheets will be in a pack. The thicker phyllo will have fewer sheets since it is sold by weight. I usually buy the #4 thickness. Any phyllo will do. 

​Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 170 degrees Celsius.

Remove the phyllo from its packaging. Separate it into 2 equal stacks. One will be for the bottom and the other for the top of the pie. I like to use a little more for the bottom and less for the top. It's a matter of personal preference. The pie will still be delicious either way.
Brush the baking pan with melted butter.
Take 2-4 sheets of phyllo and place them at the 12:00 position of the pan (as if you were looking at a clock)placing half in the pan and the other half should hang out of the pan. 
​Drizzle some melted butter on top of the phyllo.
Take 2-4 more phyllo sheets and place them at the 3:00 position of the baking pan, half in half hanging out.
​Drizzle them with some more melted butter.
​Take 2-4 more phyllo sheets and place them down in the bottom of the pan. Drizzle with melted butter.
​Take 2-4 phyllo sheets and place them at the 9:00 position of the baking pan. Drizzle with butter.
​Pour all of the filling onto the pan and cover it with the phyllo that is hanging outside of the pan.
Drizzle with melted butter.
​Keep taking 2-4 stacks of phyllo and place them in the pan, tucking the edges in really well. Drizzle with melted butter until all of the phyllo runs out.
​Scour the pie into 12 equal pieces and pour the remaining butter all over the pie. Sprinkle thetop with some sesame seeds.
​Bake 45 -60 minutes or until the pie is golden brown on top and the filling is bubbling.
​Sometimes, it can take 1 hour and 15 minutes to be ready.
Allow the pie at least 20-30 minutes to rest at room temperature so that the filling sets and it will be easy to slice and serve.

Enjoy!