Spanakopita

Ingredients

1 ½ Bags of Cello Spinach
4-6 Medium leeks
2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh dill
2 cups of olive oil
2 cups of crumbled feta cheese
8 lg. eggs
½ lb. of phyllo dough

Instructions

Wash spinach and leeks—Make sure that they are practically dry
Chop the spinach and the leeks and add dill—combine in a lg. bowl

Take a 2 inch hotel pan and brush it with olive oil

Then start placing the pyllo dough in the pan, draping excess phyllo on all four sides of the pan. Continue to stack 8-10 layers of phyllo while brushing olive oil in between the layers.

Beat the eggs whole in a separate mixing bowl—add one cup of the olive oil—mix in the crumbled feta—you may add some fresh ground pepper

Combine the egg mixture with the spinach mixture using a wooden spoon

Place the entire mixture in the pan evenly

Add 6 more layers of phyllo dough on top of the spinach mixture in the same manner as before. At last fold excess phyllo dough into the pan and brush the top of the spanakopita

Preheat oven and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 45 min. –or until golden brown

Remove from the oven and cut in square pieces while hot.

Remove the pieces with a spatula and place on a serving plate

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MOUSSAKA

PART A: BECHAMEL

ROUX: 3 sticks of Butter and one lg. yellow onion sautéed

Melt butter in saucepan—mix in garlic and onion add 2 bay leaf, oregano and thyme

Starts to brown—DO NOT BURN MIXTURE
add half cup of white wine--reduce
add -- 2 quarts of whole milk & 3 quarts of heavy cream
--- a pinch of Nutmeg
½ cup parmesan cheese—taste to salt
½ cup kefalograviera cheese—taste to salt or shredded mozzarella
add cornstarch slurry at the end--thicken while beating & straining over the moussaka

Method: (for the béchamel)

Add the Milk to the roux and stir until thicken under medium heat
Lower heat and add the Nutmeg, the cheeses and at last the eggs
Let cool

PART B: GROUND BEEF

3 lbs. of ground beef
1 Lg. onion chopped
1 ½ tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup of chopped basil
2 cups of plum tomatoes
1-2 cloves of fresh chopped garlic
add some béchamel
pinch of cinnamon and pinch of nutmeg

Method: (for cooking the ground beef)

Pan Roast the ground beef until brown Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until the mixture thickens

PART C: VEGETABLES

3 med - lg. eggplants 4 zucchini 5 Idaho potatoes Method: (for cooking the vegetables)

Cut all the vegetables lengthwise—Place in trays—apply blended oil And roast in the oven until cooked through. ASSEMBLE THE MOUSSAKA AND BAKE –Until béchamel is golden

Layer the potatoes first in the pan—then the eggplant and zucchini Spread the ground beef mixture even Spread the Béchamel on top evenly and BAKE AT 350

LET COOL-- THEN CUT

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GIGANTES PLAKI
(Baked Giant Lima Beans)

Ingredients
1 lb Dry giant lima beans
1 lg Yellow Onion Grated
1 cup Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
½ cup Flat Leaf Italian Parsley
4-5 lg Fresh Tomatoes (Blended or Grated)
OR (You May Use Canned Plum Tomatoes)
½ teaspoon Sugar

Cooking Directions
• Place the beans in plenty of water the day before
• Next day boil the beans 45-60 min until soft
• Drain and place in a pan and cover with tomato sauce

Tomato Sauce (use different pot)
  o Sautee the oil with onion and garlic
  o Add the tomato
  o Add the salt, pepper, sugar
  o Cook for about 5 minutes
  o Remove from heat
  o Add the parsley
• Add the sauce to the beans in the pan
• Drizzle ½ cup of olive oil on top of the beans and cover
• Bake and cover on 350 degrees for one hour

***Check in a half hour, you may have to add ½ cup of water***
***May be served hot or room temperature***

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GREEK CHICKEN AVGOLEMONO
LEMON SOUP

Ingredients
1 Whole Chicken
2 Carrots
2 Stalks of Celery
Salt to taste
1 Cup of Rice

Cooking Directions
• Place chicken in pot
• Cover with water and boil
• Add salt when it boils for 5 minutes
• Start removing the foam with a slotted spoon
• Add carrots and celery
• Boil for an hour or so, until chicken & vegetables are done
• Remove from heat
• Remove chicken & vegetables, place them in a pan
• Strain broth, place in a pot
• Cook for 45 minutes in low heat until rice is soft

Avgolemono

2-3 Egg Yolks
Lemon Juice of 2 Lemons

Directions:
• Beat the egg yolks and add the lemon juice
• Add one ladle broth and mix well
• Slowly add the mixture to the pot of the soup
Optional – When Serving
• Cut boiled chicken in small pieces and add to the soup
• Dice boiled carrots and add to the soup