Ancient Hellas did not have many of the products typical of modern Greek cuisine. The ancient Greeks did not have either tomatoes and lemons, or eggplants with bell peppers. But the foundational precepts of the culinary tradition of the Greek cuisine remain unchanged today. First, it is impossible to imagine a Greek meal without the “holy triad” - bread and olives. And secondly, a real feast for the Greeks is not a simple process of absorbing delicious food. First of all, this is Greek cuisine - it is a ritual.

Those gathered, trying various dishes, talk a lot, of course, speak about the dishes and exchange opinions. For the Greeks, it is of great importance what kind of olive oil was used, from which region of the country it was brought, in which village the feta cheese was made, in which fields the lamb was grazed. From such culinary discussions. The conversation flows smoothly to higher matters.

Greek cuisine is one of the oldest in the world. Of course, over the millennia, it has undergone numerous changes. The Middle Ages in Byzantium were distinguished by recipes unimaginable today. Something like the most tender fillet of milk goat stuffed with figs, garlic, pomegranate seeds, leeks, seasoned with honey sauce from marinated fish.

It is not surprising that in modern Greece no one prepares such dishes, and does not even eat. The Greeks returned to simple, but really tasty dishes again. The true splendor of Greek cuisine lies precisely in the quality of the products and in the precise adherence to the ingredients. Greek cuisine is one of the many Mediterranean varieties. Certainly, it is impossible to imagine it without quality olive oil, fresh fish and seafood.

Greece, like all Mediterranean countries, is characterized by the use of a large amount of vegetables, fruits and herbs. But there are also significant differences. So loved by Italians and French crustaceans and molluscs in their raw form, Homer's countrymen do not particularly like, let alone eat raw meat - it is usually cooked for a long time, so you cannot count on a steak with blood in Greece. In addition, complex sauces are practically absent in Greek cuisine.

And in the 15th century, expelled people began to settle in Thessaloniki, and they brought the bright features of North African cuisine to the Greek local cuisine.

And in Greece itself, there are many regional variants of one dish, due to climatic differences and the way of life both in the continental part of the country and on the numerous islands. The sunny climate of arid Crete has a completely different Greek cuisine than the snowy winters and humid summers of the mountainous Epirus. In addition, Greek diasporas exist all over the world - in Europe, America and Australia. And, of course, emigrants living abroad, but keeping in touch with their homeland, constantly bring something new to their native Greek cuisine.

Greek cuisine is characterized by the preparation of meat dishes on a spit and charcoal. Greeks eat many dishes cold, but tourist-oriented restaurants always serve food hot. If the temperature of a Greek food is not to your liking, you can ask to heat it up. In Greek it sounds - zesto.

Greeks are very scrupulous about nutrition, so it's almost impossible to find frozen vegetables or semi-finished products. In Greece, Greek cuisine is always prepared with fresh ingredients! Regardless of social status, Greeks often visit restaurants. It has become part of their culture. The highest happiness for a Greek is the enjoyment of life, which is impossible without a good feast in the circle of the closest people, family and friends.

According to Greek law, every catering establishment is obliged to post its menu with fixed prices.

Bread is always served on the table, its price can range from thirty to ninety euro cents, this is determined by the category of the restaurant.

List of dishes and cheeses of Greek cuisine

Of course, you shouldn't even try to describe here all the variety of national dishes of Greek cuisine, however, we hope that a brief overview will be useful for novice tourists to navigate the Greek menu, although it is not easy!

• Choriatiki Salata is a traditional Greek village salad better known to the world as "Greek Salad". It consists of a salad of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, olives, onions, Feta cheese, and, of course, olive oil. Additionally, you can season with vinegar. In some variations of Greek cuisine, Feta may not be present in the salad. If you do not have enough tender cheese, ask the waiter to add it. If you prefer a salad without any ingredients, please also say so.
• Sadziki - Consists of mixed yogurt, cucumber, garlic and salt. Traditionally, Sadzik is served Greek bread, naturally freshly baked!
• Melitzana Salata is a delicate Greek eggplant salad topped with fresh bread.
• Tarama Salata is a very unusual Greek dish. Greek caviar.
• Saganaki is a toasted cheese that can be served with tomato sauce.
• Casseri is a soft cheese reminiscent of mazzarella in Greek cuisine.
• Kefalotiri is a kind of hard cheese, somewhat reminiscent of Parmesan.
• Dopio tiri is the name for a variety of homemade local cheese. You can find which you can in the villages.
• Keftedes are perfectly fried meatballs. There are regional variations in Greek cuisine in various regions of Greece: Keftedes and Rvitakeftedes, Domatokeftedes, Tirokeftedes and Fazakeftedes. Despite the differing ingredients, the dish always turns out to be incomparable!
• Spanakopita is a traditional Greek spinach pie.
• Tiropita is a cheese pie.
• Kreatopita - meat pie
• Lakanika - Greek vegetable salad with cabbage.

Breakfast

There is a lot of truth in the old joke about the typical Greek breakfast, which consists of a cup of strong coffee and two cigarettes. Indeed, the Greeks eat breakfast, usually coffee and pastries. However, the hotels serve the usual continental breakfast which includes tea, coffee, croissants, toast, popular and buffet. Some inns serve an English breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.

Dinner

In Greece, lunch takes place from 13:00 - 15:00. Depending on your preference, you can choose a full meal or get by with a light salad. Many Greeks consider dinner to be their main meal.

Dinner

Traditionally, Greek dinner starts later than in European countries. Many Greeks absolutely do not think about food until nine in the evening. Given this specific national trait, most restaurants open their doors to visitors only at 20:00. Of course, in tourist centers, dinner is served a little earlier.

Classification of Greek establishments

Tavernas is a "rustic" establishment, usually decorated in a rough traditional style. In the capital and large resort towns, taverns are more Europeanized. Typically, a tavern menu with Greek dishes can be seen on the door at the entrance or in the window. However, many tavern owners will simply invite you into the kitchen to see for yourself what they can cook for you from Greek cuisine. Greeks also often drop into the kitchen to see which version of the chosen Greek dish is prepared in this tavern.

The freshest fish is brought to seaside taverns in the early morning and in the middle of the day. In front of bewildered tourists, cooks beat off freshly caught octopuses on the asphalt to make the meat in Greek dishes more tender.

But even mountains of exotic Mediterranean shrimp with lemon, fried octopus tentacles and stuffed squid in Greek cuisine cannot undo the ancient Greek culinary triad. Hot bread, aromatic olive oil and wine are certainly served at the table.

Most taverns do not open their doors to visitors until eight o'clock in the evening. The explanation is simple. The Greeks prefer a rather late meal. Taverns close late at night, and often early in the morning. The tavern may be closed on Sunday. Emotional Greeks have a good reputation as big football fans, so if you decide to drop by the tavern on match day, you shouldn't expect very attentive service.

At Psistaria you can taste Greek kebabs, roasts and meats roasted in variations of Greek cuisine over an open fire.

The restaurant (estiatorio) offers a more sophisticated menu than a tavern or psistarium. There are beautiful homespun tablecloths on the tables, and the menu certainly includes a version of Greek cuisine in English.

Ready meals are on display at the bain-marie, where you can also order grilled Greek dishes.

Ouzeri serves traditional ouzo. In Greece, drinking Ouzo is equated with art. The Uzokataniksi ritual is very popular among the Greeks, and is gaining more and more popularity among travelers.

The literal translation of "Galaktopoleia" is a dairy store. But this is where you can buy products such as yogurt, milk, eggs, rice pudding, butter, bread and honey. In addition, here you can enjoy delicious homemade ice cream, which is usually presented in different flavors. The pagoto politiko inscription on the shop door will help to find out if it is for sale. Most of them offer a cup of coffee and tea. They also usually offer inexpensive breakfasts. Such shops are open from early morning until evening, and this, you see, is very convenient.

Zaharoplasteia sells Greek pastries and sweets, both Greek and European. Sweets, chocolates, sweets, biscuits, coffee, sodas, including soda - these are the typical assortment of zakharoplasty, some of which sell alcoholic drinks in bottles. There are usually seating areas.

Pizzerias, cafes (gelateries) serving Italian ice cream are widespread throughout the country, but traditionally Western restaurants outside the capital are practically not found.

The Greeks love spicy herbs and spices, but they are used in smaller quantities than the Italians and French. Traditional herbs in Greece are parsley and dill leaves, celery, thyme, rosemary and origan.

Various varieties of garlic and onions are grown in Greece. The favorite sauces of the Greeks are Ladolemono (which is olive oil thoroughly whipped with lemon), Ladorigani (dry grated origan is added to the olive oil) and avgolemono (egg yolks whipped with lemon and spices).
The first place in Europe in terms of the amount of cheese consumed belongs to the Greeks, they are ahead of even the Italians and the French. The cheese tradition of Greece is represented by a variety of traditional cheeses. Among which are cow and buffalo, sheep and goat; hard and soft; mildly bland and pungently spicy. However, the most famous, of course, is Feta. The original Greek feta cheese is a bit like feta cheese. The real one, made in Greece, is not at all like the German cheese under this name.

Another pride of Greece is the dairy product - yaurti. Especially homemade, made according to old technologies. It is light, but at the same time, oily.

Greek cuisine, national and local: what to cook and where to eat. Recipes, cooking methods, snacks, desserts, hot dishes and drinks in Greece.

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Greek cuisine is a tradition plus olives, feta cheese, wine, as well as a lot of vegetables, seafood and meat. All this generously seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, rigani and other spices has a divine taste. Perhaps this is not least due to the fact that the Greeks practically do not produce products for export - everything is only for themselves. The meal in the life of the Greeks has long occupied a very important place. For them, this is rest, communication, and all life. Lunch is the time when the whole family gathers, business and politics are discussed.

Where and what to eat

You can have an inexpensive and tasty meal in the tavern: a wide selection of dishes from meat, fish and vegetables. Here you can taste the famous "moussaka" - eggplants, potatoes and minced meat, stacked in layers with béchamel sauce or "pastizio" - pasta with minced meat under the same sauce. And also numerous snacks and salads: "melizanosalata" - a salad of baked eggplants, "tzatzyki" - thick yogurt with cucumbers and garlic.

To prepare moussaka for eight, you will need: 500 grams of eggplant, 800 grams of minced meat, 500 grams of potatoes, 500 grams of zucchini, 250 grams of tomatoes, 500 grams of sour cream, 150 grams of grated cheese, 5 ml of white wine, as well as salt, pepper, garlic and oregano to taste. Tomatoes should be cut into 1 cm thick circles. Fry eggplants, potatoes and zucchini in hot oil until golden brown. Dry them so that the dish is not very greasy. Stew the onion and ground meat with wine and tomatoes. Finally add salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Next, lay out the layers of potatoes, eggplants and zucchini in a pan, sprinkle with grated cheese and lay out a layer of ground meat, this is repeated several times. The more layers a given dish has, the tastier. At the end the dish is covered with sour cream and sprinkled with the remaining cheese. Bake at 200 degrees until the dish turns golden brown.

Whether the tourist wants it or not, sooner or later he will try feta sheep cheese. And it’s not in vain! Delicious cheese is usually served with a rustic salad (lettuce horjatiki, and in our opinion the same "Greek salad") - fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions and olives cut into large slices. Many taverns will offer "specialite" - dishes from the cuisine of the Greek islands, Asia Minor and even ancient Greek cuisine.

To cook pasta for 4 persons, you need to take 250 grams of pasta, 6 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, 500 grams of ground beef, 1 glass of broth, 2 tsp. tomato paste, 2 tbsp. l. butter, 2 tbsp. l. flour, 2 glasses of milk and 1/2 cup of yogurt, 200 g of grated kefalotiri cheese, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. mint, and salt and pepper to taste. First you need to boil the pasta and rinse it. Now let's start making the Bolognese sauce. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry finely chopped onion and grated garlic. Next, fry the meat in the same pan. When brown, add the broth, tomato paste, cinnamon, mint, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid evaporates. Next in line is the preparation of the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter. Add flour and keep on fire for about a minute. Then, while stirring, gradually add milk and yogurt. Leave on the stove for another 5 minutes. Now we mix everything. On a baking sheet, greased with butter and sprinkled with breadcrumbs, put half of the pasta, sprinkle with cheese, then add the bolognese sauce, again cheese and the other half of the pasta. Pour the béchamel sauce over everything. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes.

In fish taverns (psarotaverna), as you might guess, you can taste very tasty fish: fried, steamed, boiled, or, more often, grilled over coals. Here you can also try other seafood: oysters, mussels, octopuses. Fish taverns, as a rule, are located near the coast or harbor, lunch for two will cost 30-50 EUR.

In inexpensive psistarya taverns, only meat fried on charcoal or spit is served: pork chops ("brizola"), lamb ribs ("paidakya"), chicken ("cotopulo"), cutlets ("bifteki"). For lunch here you will have to pay around 10-15 EUR for two.

The secret to making real Greek tzatzyki. You will need 500 grams of thick yogurt, 1 head of garlic, 1 large cucumber, 1 bunch of dill, 1 tsp. wine vinegar, 1 tsp. olive oil, salt, black pepper, mint. Grate the cucumber and stir with yogurt, crushed garlic, chopped mint, olive oil, wine vinegar and the rest of the seasonings. Mix everything thoroughly and leave in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Tzatzyki should be served cold.

Shashlik (suvladzidiko) - a small tavern where they usually offer takeaway dishes: shashlik (souvlaki) in Greek pita. Yes, something like our shawarma. In uzeri you can taste a variety of snacks (mezedes) accompanied by ouzo, a Greek aniseed vodka. It is usually diluted with water, which makes it white.

And the Greeks are also very fond of French fries!

Almost no Greek dish is complete without olive oil. One of the best is squeezed in the Peloponnese, in the Kalamata region. The famous Kalamata olives are also grown there. Olive oil comes in extra virgin (Extra virgin), refined (or Pour) and pomace (pomace).

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desserts

Greek yogurt (10% fat), which is made from whole cow, sheep or goat milk without added preservatives. Thick, extremely nutritious and wholesome, yogurt is used both as a treat with honey and nuts, and as a dressing for salads.

And also many other sweets, mostly flour. Vasilopita is a pie that is prepared on the eve of the New Year. And, of course, baklavas (baklava) and lukumades.

Real Greek Lucoumades starts with the right ingredients. For the dough you will need 650 grams of flour, 1 glass of water, 1 tbsp. l. yeast, 40 grams of sugar, 10 grams of salt, vegetable oil. For syrup - 2 glasses of sugar, 1 glass of honey, 1 glass of water, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, cinnamon. Now mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a depression in the flour and pour in the yeast diluted in warm water. Knead the dough, if necessary, add more warm water so that it turns out to be neither thick nor liquid. Cover the dough with a towel and place in a warm place to ferment. When the dough is ready, it will rise and bubbles should appear on the surface. Pour a large amount of vegetable oil into a deep saucepan or frying pan and heat over a fire. Remove the dough from the bowl with wet hands, divide into small pieces of equal size, giving them the shape of balls. Then toss one at a time into the butter. As soon as the donuts are golden brown, take them out with a slotted spoon and put them on tracing paper. Before serving, the dish is poured abundantly with syrup made from sugar, honey and water, and sprinkled with cinnamon on top.

Beverages

The main alcoholic drink of the country is crayfish - grape vodka with a tart aftertaste.

Greek wines, which, unfortunately, can hardly be found in Russia:

• retsina (Greek "resin") is the most famous and ancient Greek wine. Today it is the only wine with a resinous aroma and flavor. It is a white or pink drink with a strength of 11.5 °. Drink chilled, served with snacks
• asyrtiko - one of the finest Greek white grapes, "the king of Santorini"
• Muscat (worth tasting the Muscat wine of the island of Samos, which can be aged in bottles for decades, one of the finest wines in the world)
• Robola is a wonderful grape from the Ionian Islands. After late harvest, the Robola variety produces strong wines with a high alcohol content. Sparkling wines with a pleasant aroma and lemon flavor are obtained from less mature grapes.
• savatiano is the most common variety
• Moschofilero (pink grape) is distinguished by its lightness and floral aroma. It is worth trying wine brand Mantinea (a city located in the heart of the Peloponnese)
• agiorgitiko (red grape)
• Mandilaria is a popular red grape that produces wines of exceptionally rich color

Other common Greek wines are naoussa (red), rapsani (red), tsantali (red and white), nemeya (dry red), mantinia (dry white with a fruity aroma).

Mistresses on a note

Having tasted all these wines, in the morning you will most likely have to resort to "patsas". Patzas soup is not a tourist dish, it is not prepared in hotels and tourist places. However, it is an indispensable traditional Greek dish (which is not a good thing after a hectic night of drinking). Places where patsas are served are called patzidiko (they usually work around the clock). The oldest patzatzidikos are located in Thessaloniki and Athens (for example, at the central market).

The patsas' homeland is Constantinople (now Istanbul), translated from Turkish as "belly, entrails", from which soup is prepared. Classically made from lamb stomachs, you can also use beef, lamb or goat legs, with or without garlic sauce. Let's try to cook beef leg patsas with garlic sauce (skordostupi, or scordoxido).

If the hostess decides to cook a patsas, she should have at hand 2 beef legs (for a 6-liter saucepan), 2 glasses of wine vinegar, 2-3 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and, of course, water. Wash the legs thoroughly and immerse them in water with vinegar for an hour. Pour fresh water into a saucepan, immerse the legs. As soon as the water boils, drain and refill the pot with fresh water, not cold water. Bring to a boil, skimming frequently. Reduce the gas and continue cooking for about 4 hours. Season with salt in the middle of cooking. As soon as the legs are cooked, remove them from the broth, remove the bones, chop the meat finely. For the sauce: crush 2-3 garlic cloves and add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar. Put finely chopped meat in a plate with a spoon of quick-footsteps and pour hot broth, add pepper to taste.

Greek cuisine or the national cuisine of Greece, with absolutely all the recipes for preparing its dishes, is one of the most prominent representatives of the Mediterranean cuisine. Many of her traditional dishes are akin to those of Italian and French. But this was not always the case, as evidenced by some facts from history. For example, for a long time Greece was under the control of Turkey, which could not but leave an imprint on its cuisine. Until the nineteenth century in Greece there was a "haram" or prohibition, due to which they practically did not eat pork, and also did not drink alcohol. An oriental touch in modern national Greek cuisine is more pronounced in the preparation of desserts. You can verify this by comparing the ingredient list for Greek and Turkish sweets.

In general, fresh vegetables are widely used in traditional dishes of the national cuisine. The most commonly consumed ones include potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants and, of course, olives. This list can be continued for a long time, but the most important thing in all this variety is the maximum preservation of the beneficial properties of vegetables in ready-made dishes.

Cheese making is traditional for Greece, therefore it is not surprising that among the dishes of Greek cuisine you can find many of those that contain this or that cheese. The most famous among them is feta (this is a salty cheese, which is usually used in the preparation of salads).

Speaking about the national Greek cuisine, one cannot but recall olive oil. It is added to almost all dishes. Olive oil is the pride of Greece; it is even called liquid gold here.

As for meat, at the moment, the most common are pork and lamb. Meat is prepared in all possible forms: from stewing a whole carcass on a skewer, to making dishes from minced meat. Often meat is baked in pots along with vegetables (a vivid example of such a dish is Musaka). In addition, all kinds of fish can be found in the diet of the Greeks. Most often it is grilled, although other cooking options are possible.

One of the main features of traditional Greek cuisine is the use of a wide variety of herbs. This distinguishes Greek dishes from all other Mediterranean dishes.

And, of course, the most important thing that we have not yet mentioned is the atmosphere in which any meal takes place. As a rule, Greeks eat in a close circle of family and friends. Therefore, breakfast, lunch and dinner are held in a warm and cozy atmosphere, which truly makes Greek cuisine special!

To the classic question of our tourist who wants to get acquainted with the culture of Greece and gastronomically, "What to try?" we will not give a banal answer: "Go to study the menu of a restaurant or cafe of national cuisine!" You can start acquaintance with Greek cuisine at home and it's very simple! You just need to use those recipes with photos that are given in this section of the site. As detailed as possible, they will answer any of your questions! And remember that there is nothing better and tastier than what you cook with your own hands, with love and care.

The character of the nation cannot be hidden. It shines through through the prism of historical and cultural heritage. In some countries, even gastronomic traditions reflect the peculiarities of temperament, as, for example, in Greece.

Emotional, expressive, hospitable - this is all about the Greeks. The feast is for them as a reason for a sincere conversation. Not surprisingly, the word "meal" has Greek roots and is translated as "conversation."

Greek dishes are like impressionist canvases, bright, memorable, with large large strokes. The gods of Olympus believed that their strength was in their food.

Even the first cookbook was written in Greece and paved the way for Mediterranean cooking. The cuisine has managed to maintain its individuality, despite 400 years of Turkish occupation, absorbing notes of Arab and Slavic aromas.

Tradition and history of Greek cuisine The dishes of the land of the sun are quite simple to prepare. And, perhaps, none of them is complete without the addition of olive oil, "liquid gold" as it was called in antiquity.

Olives in Greece are like curries in India, cockroaches in Asia, raw fish in Japan, chili in Mexico - the basis of everything. Olive trees are extraordinary, the winners of ancient competitions wore wreaths from their leaves as a sign of victory. Their age is sometimes 1000 years old, and few people know that they like sunflowers like to expose themselves to the gentle rays of the sun.

The Greek terrain is difficult to access for cattle breeding, so meat dishes are prepared mainly from lamb and goat meat.

But fish and mollusks are a dime a dozen, but they do not differ in special delicacies in culinary use. The portions of the Greeks are always large, they like to drink food with ouzo, this is a brandy with aniseed aging and wine. Tea is not the most popular drink, but coffee is held in high esteem.

The Greeks love to cook dishes from vegetables and their unusual combinations, since nature generously shares its gifts with them: tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, okra.

They stuff everything they see and call it the overseas word "gemista". They do not skimp on adding spices; there is always oregano, lavrushka, garlic, dill, thyme and basil at hand.

Greeks are culinary dreamers, meat, for example, they can season with sweet ingredients, cinnamon and cloves.

But what can we say, they even cook dishes from pumpkin flowers. And how much they love cheese, the subject of national pride has about 50 types. Consumed in large quantities, 25 kg per year per person, which is a world record. Outside the country, feta is well known, an invariable component of Greek salad (choriatic).

Listen to the names of Greek dishes - dolmades, melizanes, fakorizo, scortalia, spanakopita. From their sound alone, I want to run to the kitchen and start cooking urgently!

Musaka is popularly nicknamed "Shepherds' Dish", it is translated from Arabic as "chilled", in terms of cooking technology it is very similar to lasagna.

It is so popular that in 2000 a Greek director made a film called Attack of the Giant Moussaka. The main ingredient is eggplants, they form the basis of the bottom layer, lamb with tomatoes is placed in the middle layer and this composition is completed by the delicate and airy Bechamel sauce.

Finely chop one onion and a few cloves of garlic and bring in a frying pan until golden brown. Minced meat through a meat grinder and lightly fry, adding finely chopped tomato there.

Leave to languish, stirring slightly, for 30 minutes, remove the lid and let the moisture evaporate.

Add one beaten egg, a little red wine and three tablespoons of tomato paste to the cooled minced meat. Cut two pieces of peeled potatoes and eggplants into rings.

In order for the eggplants to give off excess moisture, they must be salted and left for 15 minutes, and then fried, of course, in olive oil. Throw the potatoes into boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Now you can build our culinary house.

We put potatoes and eggplants in the foundation, then meat sauce, covered with eggplant again, and fill everything with Bechamel sauce. It is quite simple to prepare it: pour three glasses of cream into a mixture of fried flour and melted butter (half a glass each).

When the mass thickens, season with pepper and nutmeg and beat in one yolk. Bake the moussaka in the oven for one hour.

Dzatziki - the pearl of Greek cuisine

An integral part of Greek cuisine is meze, which means “to gnaw on something”. In other words, they are snacks, hot or cold.

Dzatziki is used both as a sauce for meat or fried fish, and as the main "snack" dish. It is a cold sauce based on the perfect combination of crispy cucumbers, soft creamy yoghurt and hot garlic.

The main thing in its preparation is to find the correct strangisto (regular yogurt from which the whey has been removed) with a fat content of about 10%.

Rub two large cucumbers on a coarse grater, then salt and squeeze. Add 1 kg of yogurt, after removing excess liquid from it, survive three cloves of garlic, season with one chopped bunch of dill, three tablespoons of olive oil and one teaspoon of grape vinegar, do not forget about salt - pepper.

The dish is ready, it will be very tasty if you dip bread in it.

Pastizio or Pasta Casserole Recipes

You will need to prepare two sauces: "Bechamel" and "Bolognese", as well as stock up on thick pasta (half a kilogram will be enough) and 400 grams of griviera cheese (can be replaced with any other sheep cheese).

So, after you have boiled the pasta and grated the cheese, we proceed to the sauces. We have already met Béchamel, now we will learn how to cook Bolognese.

Fry 0.5 kg of ground beef with one chopped onion, add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, a little red dry wine, salt and pepper and simmer.

We send this culinary masterpiece to the oven for 40 minutes and serve cooled.

Dolmadakya - grape-leaf syringes

You will need 300 grams of fresh large grape leaves, boiled for two minutes in boiling water and the filling.

Fry 3 finely chopped onions in a large amount of olive oil and add 1 glass of rice, half each chopped bunches of dill, parsley, fennel, a spoonful of mint, salt, pepper and a glass of hot water. Boil the resulting mixture for 10 minutes and let cool.

Put one teaspoon of the filling in grape sheets and tamp it into a saucepan, pouring in the juice of two fresh lemons. Cover it with a plate on top, this will prevent the top leaves from opening. Cook for about an hour.

As you can see, all the recipes are not particularly difficult to use. The main thing is with what mood you are doing it. It has been proven that the cooking process even affects human psychology.

And if a woman prepares, then this mystical ritual, programming the future. The tastier she cooks, the happier her "beautiful far away" will be.

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Greek cuisine is very popular among tourists. No wonder, because food in Greece is always delicious and fresh. If you do not know what to try in Greece from food, then read our today's article about the national cuisine of Greece. Greeks are beautiful, kind and long-lived people. And all because their cuisine is Greek! Let's find out what is special about it. Features of traditional Greek cuisine.

Traditional Greek cuisine

The basis of Greek cuisine is vegetables, legumes, olives, meat (pork, lamb and goat meat), fish and seafood, nuts, grains, a lot of greens, cheeses (in addition to the famous feta - fifty varieties!), Greek honey and, of course, olive oil, which the Greeks consume in huge quantities: more than 20 liters per person per year. One of the best varieties is squeezed in the Peloponnese near the city of Kalamata.
The foundation Greek cuisine- olive oil.

In Greece, water is very fond of: it is inexpensive (35 eurocents for 0.5 liters in vending machines) and gushes from drinking fountains in many public places, and all tavern visitors are greeted with it.

V national cuisine of Greece little salt, but lemon is added everywhere - it emphasizes the taste. They love yogurt - not simple, but Greek: fatty and similar to sour cream, it is added to stewed vegetables, used in the preparation of desserts and sauces, and also prepared as a cold appetizer, adding cucumber, garlic, parsley and mint - it turns out tzatziki, which can be use as a sauce for vegetables, meat and fried fish. And also in Greek dishes boldly combine meat with sweet spices - cinnamon or cloves.

Greek cuisine: what to try

What to try in Greece from food? Greek salad, of course. Greek salad is called village salad in Greece (lettuce horjatiki) and it is not prepared in the same way as in the rest of the world. No leaves or diced vegetables: cucumbers are cut into slices, tomatoes - into slices, peppers - into strips, onions - in large half rings, and olives are not cut at all (and are not canned). A minimum of actions, the whole focus is in the freshness and quality of the products and moderation: go too far with cheese or olives (there should be several of them) - and the harmony is lost. The ingredients do not need to be mixed, but put into the plate in layers, on top - olive oil, spices and a large piece of feta (feta, by the way, is translated as “piece”).

Don't order more than one salad in a Greek tavern traditional Greek cuisine for two or three people - these are the portions there. In general, it is worth clarifying what the selected dishes are: by default, many are supplemented with fresh vegetables or Greek salad, and meat dishes can include a basket of hot bread or a plate of baked potatoes. To know all this in advance, you need to talk with the waiters (especially with the owners), and even if you can only communicate in Russian, you will still be understood.

Greek dishes and portions in taverns and restaurants

Greek restaurants are divided into several categories: suvladzidika (barbecue), psistaries (barbecue), psarotavernes (fish taverns off the coast), specialized establishments such as patsadzidika, where patza and khash soups are prepared.

Avoid places where tourist groups feed and choose restaurants where Greeks themselves eat: the more there are in the tavern, the tastier the food there. In an inexpensive local café, a barbecue will cost you about 2 euros, a Greek salad - 4-5 euros, a "set" of two grilled sausages, fries, salad and bread - 7 euros, a large plate of grilled meat with a side dish - 12 euros , a cup of coffee - 2-2.5 euros.

Lunch with national dishes of Greece will be more expensive if you order fish (bill for two - 30-50 euros), as it is sold by weight. It is normal practice to ask to show you the fish and weigh it.

Coffee is the main drink in Greece; it is drunk both hot and cold, and with spices. The most popular cold frappe is instant coffee with ice and milk foam. Frappe - Greek coffee - instant coffee with ice and milk froth.

What to try in Greece besides food: spirits

For connoisseurs of spirits, we recommend the classics: aniseed ouzo vodka, grape crayfish and metaxa cognac. From red wines it is worth trying rapsani, from fortified - Alexandrian nutmeg. And the most famous and ancient Greek wine is retsina with a taste of resin; served with snacks and chilled.

National cuisine of Greece

It is worth trying souvlaki - Greek pork kebab, risoli - something intermediate between cutlets and pies, patsas soup (from the tripe), mosharokefali (from a veal head) or kotosupa (chicken, with rice); htapodi - octopus (grilled or marinated), delicious tsipuru or barbunya fish baked on coals. Greek seafood tastes better than ocean seafood, and to get the most out of it, it's best to take a platter.
Do not forget about moussaka - a traditional casserole made of fried potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, minced meat, tomatoes and cheese with béchamel sauce, Greek sweets, as well as Greek pies with fillings that are unusual for us (for example, with olives, feta cheese or spinach).

Greek cuisine: what else to try? In general, there are many extraordinary recipes in Greece. One of them is easy to recreate in 15 minutes, having two oranges, six cucumbers, one lemon and spices (a teaspoon of rosemary, oregano and mint, a tablespoon of thyme). Oranges and cucumbers need to be cut into thin slices, then fresh herbs and dressing are added to the oranges: black and pink pepper, salt, lemon juice plus olive oil. The final touch is cucumbers and a little salt: a light salad with a Greek flavor.

So, now you know a little about the cuisine of Greece. If you have a question about the cuisine of Greece, what to try, then now you know that it is primarily Greek salad, souvlaki, patsas soup, mosharokefali, htapodi, tsipura or barbunya fish, as well as moussaka. If you are going to visit Greece, then I advise you to also read the article Food in Greece is interesting, fresh and insanely delicious. It is better not to read about it, but to try. Bon Appetit!