Crete Traditional Recipes

Traditional Recipes from Crete

All recipes in this page are traditional recipes from Crete and they have been offered by Mrs. Kristalia Psoma of the Exantas restaurant.

BOUREKI 

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 kilo large courgettes

1 kilo potatoes

½ kilo sour mizithra (soft white cheese)

8 tablespoons traditional anthogalo (cream)

1 bunch mint

1 wineglass olive oil

3-4 tomatoes

Salt, pepper, oregano

All-purpose flour

EXECUTION:

Cut courgettes, potatoes and tomatoes into thin rounds and let drain for several minutes, then sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Toss potatoes and courgettes with flour. In an oiled medium pan, layer half of the potatoes and courgettes. Then spread half of the mizithra and half of the mint over the top. Repeat the procedure with the remaining potatoes, courgettes and mizithra. Top with tomato slices, then spoon on cream and olive oil and enough water to cover.

Bake in medium temperature oven for about two hours. Serve warm and decorate with remaining mint leaves.

MARATHOPITA (FENNEL PIE) 

INGREDIENTS:

3 bunches fennel

Some wild horta (greens) or spinach

2 shot glasses olive oil

½ kilo all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons

1 shot glass raki

Salt, pepper

Make pie dough : Mix ½ kilo flour with raki, 1 shot glass olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and some lukewarm water until dough is ready.

Filling: Wash greens and drain well. Then chop and toss lightly with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon oil and 2 tablespoons flour.

EXECUTION:

Separate dough into small round pieces the size of tennis balls. Make a small cavity in the middle of each and add a tablespoon of filling. Then enclose the filling and work into balls again. With a floured rolling pin, press each ball into a thin round, the size of a plate. Brush each side with olive oil and cook in a stick-free frying pan over very low heat for several minutes on each side until golden brown.

NOTE> In years past, housewives would cook them on a stone or sheet-iron over a wood fire, and accompanying wine was a must."

PORK WITH CELERY 

INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo young pork cut in chunks

1.5 kilo celery, roughly chopped

1 tomato, roughly chopped

1 onion

1 cup olive oil

Some flour

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt, pepper to taste

EXECUTION:

Steam celery slightly and drain. In a heavy pot, sauté pork chunks with onion in olive oil until meat turns white with no traces of pink colour. Add salt, pepper and hot water to cover meat and cook over low heat until ready (about 1 hour) and add tomato towards the end. Add celery and cook together for another 10 - 15 minutes. Finally, beat the lemon juice with the flour and some liquid from the pork and stir into the pot and cook for another 5 minutes until mixture thickens slightly.

NOTE> This is one of the more traditional Cretan dishes which in days past was cooked in a clay pot over a wood fire

SPICY YOGURT SALAD 

INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo traditional strained yogurt

6 garlic cloves, mashed

Some chopped parsley

2 cucumbers (1 sliced, 1 diced)

2 pickles (cucumber type), diced

3 red radishes (1 diced, 2 sliced)

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

A few green olives

EXECUTION:

Mix yogurt well with olive oil and add the diced cucumber, radish and pickles, plus the garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve in shallow plate garnished with sliced rounds of radish, cucumber and egg and topped with olives.

NOTE. All recipes in this page are traditional recipes from Crete and they have been offered to "Explore Crete" by Mrs. Kristalia Psoma of the Exantas restaurant in Crete.

Greek Food related pages:

• Greek Recipes
• Cretan diet
• Olive oil and the Health benefits of Olive oil
• Greek Gyros and Souvlaki, the tasty Greek fast food
• Crete restaurants
• Crete restaurants reviews