Pumpkin Pie "Kolokopites"
Filling
- 3 cups diced pumpkin
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 1 cup sultanas
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Dough
- 4 cups plain flour
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
Step 1 - Combine all stuffing ingredients together & mix.
Step 2 - Combine flour, salt & olive oil with fingers until combined. Add lemon juice & water, in small increments at a time; knead dough until firm - cover with plastic & let rest for approximately 40 minutes. Knead dough & divide into 6 pieces.
Step 3 - Roll dough until 2-3mm thick & cut out circles approximately 14cm diameter & fill with filling. Fold over pastry, wrapping filling and seal the edges.
Step 4 - Place onto baking paper on a baking tray cook at 180 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cheese Pies or "Flaounes"
For The Dough
- 3 cups flour
- 60g/2ozs. olive oil
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1/2 cups water
- Pinch salt
Filling
- 2 cups grated pecorino
- 1 cups grated haloumi
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 1 tbtablespoon mastic
- 1 tablespoon machlepi
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fine semolina
Top
- 1 egg beaten
- Sesame seeds
Step 1 - Whisk yeast and water together. Mix all ingredients for the dough until it is soft & elastic. Cover & let rest for at least 1 hour. Divide dough into 3 parts.
Step 2 - Mix all the ingredients for the filling.
Step 3 - Roll out the dough, to about a 3 cm thickness. Cut in to 20 cm squares. Add the filling to the middle of each square. Add generous amount of filling. Fold all the edges in on themselves to make a triangular shape. Do not cover the filling completely. Fold the other sides in the same way. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Dolmades or Koupepia(as said in Cyprus)
Note: this quantity of mince will fill the dolmades as well as fill the stuffed vegetables (Gemista) below
- 60 fresh or brined vine leaves
- 1/2 kg ground pork/lamb or beef
- 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 cup parsley
- 400g/14oz. tin tomatoes
- ½ cup rice (uncooked)
- Salt / pepper
- 1½ cups water
Step 1 - Wash fresh vine leaves & blanch them for 5 minutes. Add cold water & drain. If using bought brined grape leaves, rinse & drain them.
Step 2 - Sauté the onion in oil. Add the ground meat & sauté until slightly brown. Add 1 can tomatoes & cook for approximately 15 minutes stirring. Mix in the remaining ingredients & set aside to cool (rice should be slightly undercooked).
Step 3 - Put a leaf on a plate, vein side facing up, remove stem & put about a tablespoon of the mixture near the stem. Neatly fold left edge & then right edge & then roll all the way. Repeat with the remaining grape leaves & filling.
Step 4 - Place neatly in the pot seam side facing down, starting from the edge, moving in a circle towards the centre. Second & third layers may be placed on top.
Step 5 - Add the remaining can of tomatoes, olive oil as well as lemon juice & then cover them with a plate (which must be about the size of the pot).
Step 6 - Finally add water to cover the plate & bring to a boil, Cover with the lid, reduce heat & simmer for about 30 – 35 minutes.
Halloumi, Watermelon & Mint Salad
- 250g/8.8ozs haloumi cheese
- 600g/21ozs. watermelon, cubed
- Fresh mint
- Olive oil
- 1/2 lemon
Step 1 - Slice the haloumi & place into a griddle pan over a high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Step 2 - Cube the watermelon & slice the mint, then add to a bowl together.
Step 3 - Tear up your griddled haloumi & add to the salad. Serve with lemon portions & squeeze over the juice to taste.
Sheftalia Sausage
- 500g/1.1lbs minced pork
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 6 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 1 slice soaked bread
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Caul fat (panna)*
- 1 lemon juiced
Note: Caul fat is the thin, fatty & edible membrane surrounding the intestines of an animal. Upon heating, the membrane melts, while still keeping the sausage intact. After soaking in water, drain & soak in vinegar or white wine to remove the smell of blood.
Step 1 - Wash the caul fat well under running cold water & place it in a bowl, add the lemon juice & leave for 10-15 minutes. Rinse & let it drain.
Step 2 - In a medium sized bowl add the meat, onions, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, cinnamon. Squeeze any excess water from the bread & add this to the rest of the ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
Step 3 - Lay out the caul fat flat & cut it into square pieces about 7x7cm. Put about a tablespoon of the meat mixture in every piece of caul fat, fold in the outside edges & roll.
Gemista
Note: Valentina usually makes a big batch of the mince with rice and spreads it across the gemista and the Koupepia or stuffed vine leaves above
- 1/2 batch of the mince from the dolmades above
- 10 tomatoes
- 5 capsicums
- 2 potatoes
- Olive oil
Step 1 - Cut tops off tomatoes and capsicums. Fill with the mince filling and cut up potatoes and fill in any gaps with the potatoes. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Bake at 180C/350F until soft.
Moussaka
- 500g/1.1lbs of minced lamb or beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 large eggplants
- 3 large potatoes
- 400/14oz can tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons parsley chopped
- Grated parmesan
- 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Bay leaf
- Pinch nutmeg
Bechamel
- 50g/1.7ozs butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3-4 cups milk
Step 1 - Fry thinly sliced potatoes & then the eggplants in olive oil in pan until slightly brown. Remove & place on kitchen towel to soak up the oil.
Step 2 - In a large pot heat olive oil. Add chopped onion & crushed garlic. Mix in the minced meat with 1 glass water. Cook till brown. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste & cook further.
Step 3 - Using a large casserole dish, put 1 layer of potatoes then eggplant. Add meat mixture, making sure to cover all the vegetables. Again layer potatoes then eggplant & finish with the bechamel sauce.
Step 4 - Cook in the oven until the top has turned a lovely golden brown about 1 hour.
Step 5 - Make bechamel sauce. Melt 50g butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour (1/2 cup) slowly stirring with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk.
Step 6 - Spread béchamel sauce & sprinkle nutmeg & parmesan on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F for 45 min or until golden on top.
Pastitsio
- 500g/1.1lbs mince (lamb or beef)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Salt & black pepper
- 400ml/14oz can tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 packet tube pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Bay leaf
- Grated parmesan
- Pinch nutmeg
Step 1 - In a sauce pan bring water to boil & add salt. Cook the pasta al dente. Remove from the heat, drain & mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Step 2 - Heat the olive oil in a sautéing pan & sauté the onion until translucent. Add the ground meat & sauté for a few minutes. While mixing, add salt, pepper, & tomatoes & parsley.
Step 3 - Melt 50g butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour (1/2 cup) slowly stirring with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes. Gradually stir in milk.
Step 4 - In a rectangular dish layer half pasta. Put the ground meat on top & add the remaining pasta on top.
Step 5 - Cover pasta with the béchamel sauce & sprinkle nutmeg & parmesan on top. Bake in a preheated 180C/350F oven on medium for 45 min or until golden on top.
Louvi Fresko - Black Eyed Beans
All Original Recipes by Valentina Jones
- 500g/1.1lbs black-eyed beans
- 3 zucchinis
- 2 lemons
- Salt / pepper
- Olive oil
- Chopped spring onion
- 1/3 cup parsley
Step 1 - Rinse beans & boil until soft. Add the sliced zucchinis until soft. Add lots of olive oil, salt & lots of squeezed lemon, & stir. Top with the parsley & spring onion.
Note: spinach can also be added.
Okra or "Bamies"
- 1/2 kg of fresh okra
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 400ml/14oz. can of tomatoes
- Chopped parsley
- Salt / pepper
Step 1 - Trim both ends of okra & saute with onion & garlic. Add the tomatoes, Salt / pepper, parsley. Bring all to a boil then allow to simmer for 20 mins.
Note: potatoes can also be added.