Spanakopitta

Strictly speaking, one should make spanakopitta using fillo pastry, but we didn't feel like making it and the store was sold out - so we used puff pastry, which wasn't sold out.

Ingredients:
- 640 g (about 1.5 lbs) puff pastry (cut in 4 pieces)
- 500 g (about 1 lb) frozen spinach
- salt
- 200 g (about 0.5 lb) feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 eggs (+1 egg for brushing)

The frozen spinach was put in a small pot without any water and thawed over medium heat - and excess liquid was drained off. The feta cheese was mixed with 2 eggs using a fork, then stirred into the spinach, and seasoned to taste with salt.

The spinach-cheese mixture was divided in 2 equal portions and each was spread on a piece of puff pastry, leaving some 2-3 cm (1 inch) free along each side. The remaining pieces of puff pastry were used as lids, folding the pastry along the edges to close them. Long diagonal slits were cut in the pastry lids and the pies were brushed with the remaining egg.

The pies were baked in the oven at 175 C (350 F) for 45 minutes, until crisp and golden.

Greek Meatloaf

I remembered this as an old favorite from the dorm days - a quick way to easily make food for a large group of people (and a crowd pleaser too) - but as I got into making it I realized I must never have actually made it myself before.. the details of how to proceed were just too hazy for me. Luckily Mrs. Throat-Erator stepped up to show me how it was done.

Ingredients:
- 2.5 dL (1 cup) parboiled rice
- 4 dL (1 2/3 cup) water
- salt
- 500 g (1 lb) ground beef
- 500 g (1 lb) ground lamb
- 2 eggs
- 2 dL (4/5 cup) milk
- pepper
- 1 medium white onion
- 220 g (8 oz) feta cheese
- 1 bunch parsley
- 3 cloves garlic
- 50 g (half stick) butter

The rice was boiled in the water with added salt the day before.

In a bowl, the cold rice was mixed with the ground meats, eggs, milk, salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, the medium-finely chopped onion, finely chopped parsley, diced feta cheese, diced butter, and mashed garlic was mixed.
A little less than half the meat was placed in an oven-proof tray as a flat layer, then the parsley and feta filling was placed on top. At last the rest of the meat was used to make a lid and the meat loaf was baked in the oven at 200 C (400 F) for 1 hour.

Served with baked potatoes and tzatziki.

I guess it's some kind of moussaka...

...but it doesn't really follow any recipe I found anywhere.

Ingredients:
- 24 oz (650-700 g) potatoes
- 3 small zucchinis
- 2 yellow crookneck squash
- 1 red onion
- 1-1.5 lb (500-700 g) ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic
- salt
- black pepper
- dried red pepper
- shawarma spice
- 1 bunch italian parsley (coarsely chopped)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup grated jack cheese
- olive oil

Start by heating the oil in a large pan, add the coarsely chopped onion and stir till translucent. Then add the ground beef together with all the spices, and stir till browned, cover and let simmer. Dice the potatoes (I used a 1:1 mix of white and purple potatoes), the zucchinis, and the yellow squash - dices should be about 1/2" (1 cm) on each side. Put them in a baking pan, pour over the milk, then the meat, and finally a layer of grated cheese. Goes in the oven at 400 F (200 C) for about 40 minuttes.

NB: The baking pan in the picture is about 9" X 9" (22 cm x 22 cm) and that was for HALF of it.

Update: For a shawarma spice mixture, see this later post.

Tzatziki

Another simple thing that goes well with a variety of dishes.

Ingredients:
- 1 cucumber *
- 1 lb plain yoghurt
- 1 clove garlic
- salt & white pepper to taste

Grate the cucumber into a sieve and let it drip off for 15-20 minutes, then put it a bowl, add yoghurt, pressed garlic, salt and ground white pepper. Mix well. Eat immediately or store cool for later.

* If in the US I strongly recommend buying so-called European or English cucumbers. Yes, they are more pricey and often smaller - but so much more delicious as well. The easiest way to destroy a cucumber is to overgrow it.