GREEK EASTER AND ITS TRADITIONS

 
One of the most family oriented festivities in Greece is Easter and it is also a significant celebration within the Greek Orthodox Church. Even in today’s modern society, centuries-old traditions are still being kept alive and respected by younger generations. It is the one time of the year when families are expected to be together and people travel all over the country to celebrate Easter with their loved ones.
 
Preparations for Easter start on “Clean Monday”, seven weeks before Easter Sunday when the Greek people start to fast for lent. During these forty days, the Greek diet consists of seafood, pickles and meals without oil. Meat, fish, eggs and dairy products are also excluded from the diet.
 
Although the Holy week leading up to the Easter weekend is quieter and the atmosphere in communities is somewhat subdued; after the resurrection of Christ, Easter celebrations in Greece become lively and loud.
 

 
HOLY THURSDAY
 
Holy Thursday is a day of baking and the dyeing of dozens of boiled eggs bright red to symbolize the blood of Christ and the renewal of life. Young children delight in joining their mothers and grandmothers in the preparation of making the “Koulourakia”, the special Easter biscuits and there is always the lingering aroma of newly baked “Tsoureki”, the sweet bread that is actually eaten all year round.
 

 
Holy Thursday is the saddest day of the Easter celebrations as it marks the day of Christ’s crucifixion. People visit their churches to light candles and to sit and say a private prayer. It’s a day of mourning and church services are held throughout the country in the evenings. Many of the Greek people can be seen shedding a tear and some will keep a constant vigil next to the cross bearing a figure of Christ in the church.
 

 
HOLY FRIDAY
 
On Holy Friday, church bells toll all over the country and are a poignant reminder of Christ’s crucifixion. Flags fly at half mast and a great sadness is felt in communities. During this period of mourning, afternoon church services are held and after a re-enactment of the crucifixion, the figure of Christ is removed from the cross and placed in a shrine decorated by women and children with carnations and roses.
 

 
In the evening, the shrine representing Christ’s tomb is carried through the neighborhood in a somber funeral procession and the silent congregation follow behind showing their grief and their mourning for Christ. When the shrine has returned to the church, members of the congregation can take a flower away with them.
 

 
HOLY SATURDAY
 
Holy Saturday is all hustle and bustle as Greek families shop and make their last minute preparations for Easter Sunday. The forty days of fasting will come to an end at midnight when the Greek soup, Mayiritsa, made with lamb offal is served after the church service and the resurrection of Christ. During the day, homes become filled with decorated candles, candies and brightly wrapped gifts, while the excitement of younger members of the family gradually begins to take hold.

 
Late in the evening, crowds of people arrive at every church in the country, leaving no room inside for many of the congregation. Hundreds of people follow the service outside from the large microphones. Shortly before midnight, lights in the church go out and bells start to toll to announce Christ’s resurrection. Loud fireworks go off leaving spirals of smoke and the priest appears to share the eternal flame from his own candle among the congregation. “Christos Anesti”, Christ has risen, the crowds shout amongst themselves.
 
The Eternal flame is then carefully carried home by everyone to mark a black cross with the smoke over the doorstep.  This tradition is believed to bless the home and bring it good luck. After that, it is time for the Mayiritas soup and to crack the red boiled eggs with an opponent before eating and drinking wine until the early hours of the morning.
 

 
EASTER SUNDAY
 
Surprisingly, on Easter Sunday, people are up as early as the break of dawn to prepare the lamb or goat ready to be roasted on a spit. The lamb is cooked along with the “Kokeretsi”, a favorite Greek dish of wrapped seasoned lamb offal. There is a smell of barbecued meat all across the country, while families and their friends prepare to enjoy a very large feast. Loud music and singing complete the high-spirited celebrations of a very traditional Greek Easter.
 

 

It’s All Greek to Me: What It Means to Celebrate Orthodox Easter

• Alexandra Popken Student, Pace University

This past Sunday I texted my father “Happy Easter” followed by a string of bunny emojis. He wrote back, “Thanks and happy week before your Easter!” Growing up with a Catholic father and Greek-Orthodox mother, I just assumed everyone celebrated two Easters. You can only imagine my confusion when I learned that I was the only kid in my second grade class who observed two different Easters. Now as a junior in college and having grown up in the Greek Orthodox faith, I embrace celebrating Easter on a different day than my generic store-bought calendar says to.

To put it in pop culture terms, for the Orthodox community Pascha, better known as Easter, is like the Super Bowl with an N’SYNC reunion jam-packed into one tremendous celebration. In fact, Easter is the most important holiday in the Greek Orthodox Church. Compared to Western Easter, Orthodox Easter is in no way commercialized by chocolate, Easter bunnies or pastel colors. Rather, it is a festivity deeply rooted in tradition filled with church, lamb and red dyed eggs. To break it down, I’ve accumulated a list of commonly asked questions to distinguish the differences between Western and Orthodox, (specifically Greek-Orthodox), Easter.

Why is Orthodox Easter celebrated on a different day?
To put it simply, the date you celebrate Easter on depends entirely on the calendar your religious affiliation follows. Western churches use the Gregorian calendar, which is the standard calendar for much of the world. However, Orthodox churches follow the older, Julian calendar. By following the Julian calendar, Orthodoxy prohibits Easter from being celebrated before or at the same time as Passover. Sometimes (like in 2014), the Gregorian and Julian calendar align and both Easters are celebrated on the same day! Celebrating Orthodox Easter and Western Easter on the same day causes less confusion on Instagram for Greeks posting an obligatory siblings-standing-on-the-front-steps Easter picture.

Does Lent work the same way?
Similar to the Western faith, Lent is a period of time where individuals are supposed to be more conscious of their spiritual character. Many practicing Orthodox Christians fast for 40 calendar days before Easter. Of these 40 days, the week before Easter is a complete fast — where no meat, dairy, fish or poultry dishes are prepared or consumed. If you have a vacation planned during Lent, don’t worry! The Orthodox fasting discipline may be relaxed, if necessary, when one is traveling! Additionally, exceptions should be made when someone is ill or receiving another’s hospitality. This is because the focus of Great Lent should not be on outward shows of piety, but rather accepting the love and generosity of others.

Does the Orthodox community celebrate Easter with colorful dyed Easter eggs?
In the Orthodox tradition, eggs are a symbol of new life. Early Christians used eggs to symbolize the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which thus signifies the rebirth of all believers. The Orthodox custom is to dye Easter eggs a deep red color. The red represents life, victory and the blood of Jesus Christ. At Greek-Orthodox Easter parties, a game called tsougrisma (pronounced TSOO-grees-mah) is commonly played using the red dyed eggs.

A quick lesson on how to play tsougrisma:

1. Each player selects a red egg and finds an opponent. (Choose wisely!)
2. One person has to say, “Chistos Anesti” (Christ has risen)... The other replies, “Alithos Anesti” (Indeed He has risen).
3. The person who said “Christos Anesti” taps the end of his or her egg lightly against the end of the opponent’s egg. (The goal is to crack the opponent’s egg.)
4. When one end is cracked, the winner uses the same end of her or his egg to try to crack the other end of the opponent’s egg.
5. The player who successfully cracks the eggs of the other players is declared the winner and, it is said, will have good luck during the year.

If you’re still confused, check out this video from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. New players, beware! I have seen every trick in the book (including a certain relative using a wooden egg)! Tsougrisma brings out the competitive side of even the quietest of relatives.

What is Holy Week like?
The Greek-Orthodox Holy Week is a magnificent rollercoaster of sentiment and tradition. Greek-American actress, singer and producer, Rita Wilson, wrote a beautiful piece on her most cherished Easter experiences. She wrote:

“Holy Week, for a Greek Orthodox, means you clear your calendar, you don’t make plans for that week at all because you will be in church every day... It is a powerful, beautiful, mysterious, humbling, healing and moving week. It is filled with tradition and ritual. It is about renewal and faith.”

If you have a Greek-Orthodox friend, I’d urge you to tag along to at least one Holy Saturday midnight service in your lifetime. Directly following the midnight liturgy, also known as the Anastasi service, most churches offer an Agape Meal (or love feast). The agape meal is always one of the best nights of the year! For me, the agape meal includes breaking my fast immediately after church, playing tsourgrisma and celebrating the resurrection with my siblings and cousins. We tend to chow down on lamb, feta cheese and tsoureki (a delicious Easter sweet bread) until the wee hours of the morning. Delirium tends to set in at the agape meal, which is normal considering it’s usually 2 o’clock in the morning following a busy Holy Week. Easter creates this tangible feeling of frenzy in the air filled with love, gratitude and laughter.

To my Greek-Orthodox friends celebrating Pascha this upcoming weekend, Kali Anastasi! And to those who just recently celebrated Western Easter or Passover, Happy 4th of July! (... I can only assume CVS and Duane Reade have already broken out the red, white and blue displays!) Enjoy the half-off candy while it lasts!

My Big Fat Greek Meatballs

 

Ingredients 

Servings 5-6 Yield 30-32 meatballs

• MAIN INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb fresh ground lamb (other ground meat may be substituted)
• ¹⁄₂ cup finely minced onions or 1 -2 tablespoon minced onion flakes
• 1 -3 minced garlic clove
• ¹⁄₂ cup finely minced pimiento-free green olives or ¹⁄₂ cup kalamata olive
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons parsley flakes
• 1 tablespoon chopped of fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 ¹⁄₄ teaspoons fine sea salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (yellow rind only)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon crushed dried oregano
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon white pepper

• REMAINING INGREDIENTS

• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ¹⁄₂ cup fresh breadcrumb (crust removed)
• ¹⁄₄ cup milk
• ¹⁄₈ cup ouzo liqueur or ¹⁄₈ cup Pernod or 1 teaspoon anise extract
• olive oil (for frying)
• flour (to coat before frying)

• TZATZIKI SAUCE

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• ¹⁄₂ cup cucumber, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 ¹⁄₂ teapoons dried dill
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon chopped of fresh mint or ¹⁄₄ teaspoon dried mint
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
• 2 -3 teaspoons thinly snipped green onion tops (optional)
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest (yellow rind only)

  Directions

• TRADITIONAL PREPARATION METHOD: INTO a large bowl add the MAIN INGREDIENTS without mixing (1 lb fresh ground lamb (other ground meat may be added and/or substituted), 1/2 cup finely minced onions or 1-2 tablespoons minced onion flakes, 1-3 minced garlic clove, 1/2 cup finely minced pimiento-free olives (green or kalamata), 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon), 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley flakes, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint, 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; BEAT a one egg with 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl; POUR 1/4 cup milk and 1/8 cup ouzo or Pernod (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) into the egg and flour mixture; ADD 1/2 cup bread crumbs; ALLOW breadcrumbs to soak; ADD soaked bread crumb mixture to meat mixture; MIX well; CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• ALTERNATE QUICK METHOD: INTO large food processor add 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/8 cup ouzo (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) and 1/2 cup bread crumbs; PROCESS; ADD the MAIN INGREDIENTS except for ground lamb and feta cheese; PROCESS; ADD ground lamb; PROCESS (Feta cheese may be added to mixture now and processed or folded into after); REMOVE meat from processor; CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (you may use freezer).
• ROLL meat mixture into walnut-sized balls.
• SCANT pour 1 cup flour into a tear-resistant bag.
• PLACE uncooked meatballs into a bag containing flour.
• GENTLY shake a few meatballs at a time in bag with flour.
• REPEAT procedure until all meatballs are coated with flour.
• FRY flour-coated meatballs in at least 1/2 inch hot olive oil until browned and fully cooked, about 1/2 batch at a time (meatballs may be deep-fried in a deep-fryer, or in an electric wok, which is the easiest method providing the best results).
• COMBINE the TZATZIKI SAUCE recipe ingredients and chill. Use this as a sauce, dip or dressing for gyros, or pita sandwiches with sliced cold meatballs in pita bread, or rolled in a flatbread with fresh tomatoes and onions. Delicious!
• Serve and say, "OPA"!

My Mum's 'mageiritsa' or Greek Lamb Soup

At Easter time, Greeks traditionally eat a soup made of lamb intestines, liver and other offal called 'Mageiritsa'. In my house ,there was no way any of us were going to eat something like that, so my mum came up with a simple lamb soup which we loved and waited all year to eat.

Ingredients 

Servings 6 

• 1 ¹⁄₂ kg lamb (fatty neck pieces are ideal)

• 1 bunch spring onion
• ¹⁄₂ cup rice
• 2 eggs
• 1 lemon, juice of, large
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Wash lamb pieces well and throw them in a tall pot covering them with cold water.
2. Bring to the boil, skimming the pot frequently and then turn the heat down and simmer for 2 hours.
3. Add the spring onion which has been washed and chopped coarsely (around 2cm pieces.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Simmer for another 20 minutes, then add the rice which has been rinsed and boil for another 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.
5. Allow the soup to cool slightly and make an avgolemono or egg-lemon sauce.
6. Separate the eggs and beat the whites for 5 minutes on low speed with a hand-held mixer until white. (It must not be firm or meringue-like.).
7. Add yolks and beat briefly, then add the lemon juice in a thin stream until the mixture is fluffy.
8. Then add hot soup in a thin trickle beating all the while at a low speed until most of the broth has been incorporated. You will need a large bowl to do this and you should tilt it at the beginning when you beat the egg whites so they are covered by the beaters.
9. Be careful not to go too quickly or the egg will cook and curdle, it must be warmed up gradually.
10. Tip the contents of the bowl back into the pot and mix lightly with a ladle.
11. NOTE: The lamb here in Greece is very fatty so I don't add any oil at all to the soup but if you use leaner types of lamb (e.g. Australian or New Zealand) you may like to add 1/3 cup of oil to the soup.

Η πιο εύκολη συνταγή για πασχαλινά κουλουράκια

Με απλά και αγνά υλικά 

ΥΛΙΚΑ:
 
• 2 φλ. ζάχαρη
• 4 αβγά
• 250 γρ. βούτυρο
• ½ φλ. γάλα
• ½ φλ. χυμό πορτοκαλιού
• ξύσμα πορτοκαλιού
• 1 κιλό αλεύρι
• 4 κ.γ. μπέικιν πάουντερ
• 2 βανίλιες
• ½ κ.γ. σόδα
• ½ κ.γ. αλάτι

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ:
 
1. Χτυπάμε το βούτυρο με τη ζάχαρη πολύ καλά.
2. Προσθέτουμε τα αβγά ένα ένα. Προσθέτουμε το γάλα με το χυμό και το ξύσμα.
3. Σε άλλο μπολ ανακατεύουμε όλα τα στερεά υλικά με το μισό αλεύρι και αρχίζουμε να προσθέτουμε αυτό το μείγμα στο άλλο. Βάζουμε τόσο αλεύρι όσο χρειάζεται για να γίνει η ζύμη όχι πολύ σκληρή, αλλά να μην κολλάει στα χέρια.
4. Αφήνουμε τη ζύμη για ένα τέταρτο να ξεκουραστεί, πλάθουμε τα κουλουράκια στα σχήματα που θέλουμε και τα ψήνουμε στους 180° για 10' -20', ανάλογα με το μέγεθος.

Πορτοκαλόπιτα

ΥΛΙΚΑ
– 1 ποτήρι του νερού καλαμποκέλαιο
– 1 ποτήρι του νερού ζάχαρη
– 1 πορτοκάλι (ολόκληρο), πλυμένο καλά και περασμένο στο μούλτι, πολτοποιημένο
– 2 αυγά
– 1½ ποτήρι του νερού αλεύρι (τύπου Αλατίνη) ή για όλες τις χρήσεις
– 2 κουταλάκια (κοφτά) μπέκιν πάουντερ
– 2 βανίλιες
– Ζάχαρη άχνη
– Λίγο βούτυρο (τύπου Βιτάμ) για τη φόρμα
ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΣΙΡΟΠΙ
– ½ φλιτζάνι νερό
– 2/3 φλιτζανιού χυμός πορτοκαλιού
– 1 φλιτζάνι ζάχαρη
– Μερικές λεπτές λωρίδες πορτοκαλιού

ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΗ
1. Φτιάχνουμε πρώτα το σιρόπι: Βράζουμε τις λωρίδες πορτοκαλιού να ξεπικρίσουν δύο φορές, από 5 λεπτά τη κάθε μία, σε νερό που κοχλάζει. Δηλαδή, βράζει το νερό, τις ρίχνουμε μέσα, τις αφήνουμε 10 λεπτά, χύνουμε το νερό και ακολουθούμε την ίδια διαδικασία και για δεύτερη φορά. Στη συνέχεια, βράζουμε για 10 λεπτά όλα τα υλικά της συνταγής για το σιρόπι κι όταν κρυώσει το περιχύνουμε ομοιόμοφα πάνω στη πορτοκαλόπιτα.

2. Βάζουμε σε βαθύ μπολ το λάδι με την ζάχαρη, χτυπάμε με το μιξεράκι χειρός μέχρι να ασπρίσει, προσθέτουμε το πολτοποιημένο –ολόκληρο- πορτοκάλι, τις βανίλιες και τα αυγά και ξαναχτυπάμε. Στο τέλος, προσθέτουμε το αλεύρι με το μπέκιν πάουντερ και χτυπάμε στην πολύ μικρή ταχύτητα, ίσα-ίσα να ανακατευτεί το μίγμα.

3. Ανάβουμε το φούρνο στους 170 με 180 βαθμούς να προθερμανθεί. Βουτυρώνουμε την φόρμα, την πασπαλίζουμε και με λίγο αλεύρι, τη τινάζουμε να φύγει το περιττό, αδειάζουμε την ζύμη της πορτοκαλόπιτας και το τοποθετούμε στην μεσαία σχάρα να ροδίσει και να ψηθεί καλά για περίπου 1 ώρα. Λίγο πριν συμπληρωθεί ο χρόνος, δοκιμάζουμε με στεγνό μαχαιράκι αν η πίτα έχει ψηθεί και εσωτερικά (το μπήγουμε στο κέικ) και αν εκείνο βγει στεγνό τότε το γλυκό είναι έτοιμο. Περιχύνουμε τη πορτοκαλόπιτα με το κρύο σιρόπι ενώ αν θέλουμε μπορούμε να την καλύψουμε και με αραιωμένη μαρμελάδα πορτοκάλι ή και με ζάχαρη άχνη.

Χρόνος εκτέλεσης: 75 λεπτά
Μερίδες: 16+

Roasted Leg of Lamb

Mageiritsa–the Greek Easter Soup

Serves 10

Most Greeks the world over enjoy a hot bowl of mageiritsa soup after the midnight liturgy on the Saturday night before Easter. The soup, made with lamb or goat organ meats, is a perfect example of the home economy that characterizes the Greek cuisine. Nothing, in short, is wasted. The soup marks the end of the Lenten fast. It is also meant to play a more practical role on the table, by “calming” the stomach and preparing people who’ve been abstaining from animal products for 40 days to ease into the carnivorous feast that Greek Easter inevitably ends up being. Tradition says that the soup must be made on Holy Saturday, arguably for reasons that have more to do with food hygiene than tradition–organ meats are highly perishable, so the faster one eats them after cooking, the better. The classic mageiritsa recipe contains all kinds of offal–intestines, liver, kidneys, lungs, etc.–as well as rice, shredded lettuce, lots of dill, scallions and egg-lemon sauce, or as it’s known in Greek, avgolemono. There are also many regional variations, which mirror the country’s history and geography. In some places, the soup is made only with the lamb’s head or trotters. In some areas, local cooks take the trouble to braid the intestines, making them more attractive! In Thessaly, which is in the central part of Greece, mageiritsa is flavored with mint and made more like a stew than a soup. In the Peloponnese, some versions call for adding tomato but also the egg-lemon liaison. In Corfu, the local soup is also more like a stew and is called tsilikourtha. A few practicalities… What exactly do Greeks mean when they refer to innards? Essentially the internal organs, particularly those of abdominal and thoracic cavity. These include heart, lungs, liver (without gall bladder), spleen and kidneys. After the mad cow scares of the last decade, the sale of such meats has been greatly limited both in the U.S. and in the E.U. In a nod to Greece’s longstanding traditions, offal has not been banned, but it may only be culled from animals that are under one year of age. Washing those intestines! This is not fun. Intestines, as most of you can guess, have a distinctive smell. They have to be washed very well. The way to do this is to turn them inside out, rinsed over and over and rubbed wth salt and/or lemon to whiten them and neutralize their distinctive odor.

Ingredients

1. Viscera/ organ meats (lungs, hear, liver, intestines, etc.) from one baby lamb
2. Lamb’s head
3. Salt
4. 3 quarts/ liters water
5. ½ cup extra viegin Greek olive oil
6. 3 bunches green onions, washed, peeled and chopped
7. 1 lb. / 500 gr. lean lamb, chopped
8. 4-5 Romaine lettuce heads, washed and shredded
9. 1 ½ cups chopped parsley
10. 1 ½ cups chopped dill
11. 1 cup short-grain rice
12. 5 eggs, beaten
13. Juice of 3 lemons
14. Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the organ meats very well in plenty of cold water to remove all traces of blood.
2. To wash the intestines, rinse very well and invert, using a knitting needle as your guide. Continue rinsing and then rub with either lemon or salt. Chop the intestines and aside in refrigerator until ready to use
3. Rinse the head very well. Place in a pot with plenty of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cok slowly for about 2-3 hours, skimming the foam off the top and replenishing the water as needed. Remove the head, reserve the broth and strain, if desired.
4. Chop the organ meats. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pot and saute the organ meats. Add the scallions and saute for a few minutes, until translucent.
5. Place the strained broth back into a large soup pot. Add the sauteed organ meats and scallions to the broth.Bring to a boil. Add the shredded lettuce, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer the soup for about one hour, covered. Replenish the water as needed. There should be about 3 quarts total. Stir in the rice. Simmer until the rice is soft.
6. In a separate metal bowl, whisk together the eggs until very frothy. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice. Then, slowly 2 ladels full of the hot soup broth, careful not to get solids in the ladle. The hot broth should be added drop by drop. Return the tempered egg-lemon micture to the pot, with the heat turned off, and tilt the pot back and forth so that the avgolemono is evenly distributed. Do NOT cover the pot. Serve immediately.
7. “Genteel” Mageiritsa (without organ meats)
8. Instead of organ meats, use a lamb shank. Season it with salt and pepper, sautee it in olive oil in a large soup pot, add the scallions, then add water or meat stock. Season to taste. Cook all together for 2 – 3 hours or until the meat falls off the shank. Remove the shank, let it cool slightly, and remove and shred the meat. Place it back into the broth, together with the shredded lettuce and herbs. Cook together for 30 minutes, Add the rice. And follow the directions above for making the egg-lemon liaison.

Φανταστικά τσουρεκάκια με μέλι και γιαούρτι

Φανταστικά τσουρεκάκια με μέλι και γιαούρτι σε δέκα λεπτά!

Τα τσουρεκάκια έχουν την ονομασία´Lussebullar’ και αποτελούν  παραδοσιακή σουηδική νοστιμιά.

Υλικά 
1 κουταλιά ξερή ή 25γρ νωπή μαγιά ξερή ή φρέσκια
½ κουταλάκι  αλάτι
0,25γρ. ή ένα φακελάκι  σαφράν
60γρ   βούτυρο
1 φλυτζάνι  γάλα
5 κουταλιές μέλι
5 κουταλιές γιαούρτι
4 φλυτζάνια ή 450γρ αλεύρι για όλες τις χρήσεις

30 σταφίδες

1 κρόκο αυγού
Εκτέλεση 
Φτιάξτε μια ζύμη με όλα τα υλικά, και αφήστε την να φουσκώσει. Μετά την χωρίζετε σε μπαλίτσες, τις πλάθετε σε κορδόνια και κατόπιν τα τυλίγετε  σε σαλιγκαράκια.
Τα αφήνετε ξανά να φουσκώσουν και έτοιμα!
Για να ψηθούν χρειάζονται μόλις δέκα με δώδεκα λεπτά. Δεν είναι πολύ γλυκά, έχουν το κίτρινο χρώμα από τον κρόκο και μια υφή ανάμεσα στο ψωμί και στο ελληνικό τσουρέκι.

Σάμαλι Μοναστηριακό !

Κλασικό, λαχταριστό γλυκό που θα ικανοποιήσει απόλυτα όλους τους λάτρεις των σιροπιαστών γλυκών. Μια πολύ εύκολη και απλή συνταγή για Σάμαλι που μπορείτε να το απολαύσετε με 2 αλλαγές και στη νηστίσιμη εκδοχή του σε περιόδους νηστείας.

Υλικά συνταγής

• 2 ποτήρια νερού ψιλό σιμιγδάλι
• 1 ποτήρι νερού χονδρό σιμιγδάλι
• 1 1/2 ποτήρια γιαούρτι πλήρες  [*]
• 1/2 ποτήρι νερού γάλα
• 1 ποτήρι νερού ζάχαρη
• 1 φακελάκι [20 γρ.] μπέϊκιν πάουντερ
• ξύσμα 1 λεμονιού
• 1/2 κ.γ. κοπανισμένη μαστίχα
• 1 καψουλίτσα βανίλια
• λάδι για άλειμμα του ταψιού
• λίγα αμύγδαλα

 Για το σιρόπι:

• 3 φλ. τσαγιού ζάχαρη
• 2 φλ. τσαγιού νερό
• 2 κ.σ. βούτυρο [*]
• χυμό 1 λεμονιού
• 1 καψουλίτσα βανίλια

Εκτέλεση συνταγής

Για το σάμαλι: Αλείφετε με λάδι ένα ταψί 30-35 εκ..
Σε μεγάλο μπολ βάζετε όλα τα στερεά υλικά και προσθέτετε και προσθέτετε σταδιακά το γιαούρτι και το γάλα ανακατεύοντας συνεχώς να ενσωματωθεί πλήρως.
Αδειάζετε το μείγμα στο ταψί και στρώνετε την επιφάνειά του με μια σπάτουλα για να είναι λεία και ομοιόμορφη.
Για καλύτερο αποτέλεσμα, σκεπάζετε το ταψί και αφήνετε το μείγμα για 2 ώρες, να να απορροφήσει καλά το σιμιγδάλι το γιαούρτι και το γάλα. Προθερμαίνετε το φούρνο στους 180 βαθμούς. Κόβετε το γλυκό σε κομμάτια, γαρνίρετε κάθε κομμάτι με αμύγδαλο και το ψήνετε στο προθερμασμένο φούρνο μέχρι να ροδίσει η επιφάνειά του [50′-60′ περίπου].
Για το σιρόπι: Βράζετε όλα μαζί τα υλικά του σιροπιού, για 5′ περίπου. Μόλις βγάλετε το γλυκό από το φούρνο, το σιροπιάζετε, ρίχνοντας κουταλιά κουταλιά το ζεστό σιρόπι.

[*] Αν θέλετε νηστίσιμο το σάμαλι αντικαταστήστε το γιαούρτι και το γάλα με 2 ποτήρια νερού νερό και αφαιρέστε το βούτυρο από το σιρόπι.

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My Big Fat Greek Easter

Easter cookies (koulourakia)

Koulourakia are lightly sweetened strands of dough, twisted together in various shapes. These ones are crunchy on the outside, but very soft on the inside. A delicious recipe from my Grandma Stella. She makes them every Easter.

What we need:

• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 8.82 oz butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• grated zest of one orange
• 2.20 lbs flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

How to do it:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then add the milk, the orange juice and the zest.
3. In another bowl, combine all solid ingredients with half of the flour and then pour the flour mixture in the butter mixture. Add as much flour as it is needed, so as to have a soft, non-sticky dough.
4. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, then shape the cookies as desired and bake them, 180°C for 10 to 20 minutes (it depends on their size).

TRADITIONAL GREEK EASTER BREAD (TSOUREKI PASCHALINO)

 

THIS EASTER BREAD IS FOR EASTER SUNDAY MORNING AFTER THE RESURRECTION . IT SYMBOLIZES THE HOLLY TRINITY, AND THE RED EGGS SYMBOLIZE THE BLOOD SHED BY JESUS CHRIST. IDEAL FOR THE HOLLY WEEK. (NOTE) INSTEAD OF LEMON ZEST ORANGE CAN BE USED OR BOTH.

Αυγά κόκκινα πασχαλινά

Εκτέλεση

Βάψιμο 50 αυγών

Βάζουμε μια κατσαρόλα στη φωτιά με 2½ κιλά νερό περίπου και αφήνουμε να πάρει βράση. Ρίχνουμε 2 φακελάκια μπογιά. (Αν και κάθε φακελάκι προορίζεται για 50 αυγά, εμείς θα μεταχειριστούμε τη διπλή ποσότητα μπογιάς.) Όταν πάρει το νερό με την μπογιά μερικές βράσεις, προσθέτουμε ½ φλιτζάνι τσαγιού ξίδι, το οποίο πρέπει να πάρει μια βράση. Ανάλογα με το μέγεθος της κατσαρόλας, βράζουμε και τα αυγά, δηλαδή εάν χωράει 25, τότε τα βράζουμε σε δύο δόσεις, εάν χωράει λιγότερα, σε 3 ή 4 κ.ο.κ. Κάθε φορά όμως που θα βγάζουμε τα αυγά που έβρασαν και θα τα αντικαθιστούμε με άβραστα, πρέπει να προσθέτουμε μέσα στο νερό λίγο ξύδι ακόμη, να αφήνουμε το νερό να βράσει και μετά να βάζουμε τα αυγά.

Τα αυγά τα οποία θα βάψουμε πρέπει απαραιτήτως προηγουμένως να τα έχουμε πλύνει καλά και να τα έχουμε σκουπίσει, για να στρώσει καλά η μπογιά. Πρέπει, επίσης, να βάζουμε τα αυγά στην κατσαρόλα με προσοχή, με μια τρυπητή κουτάλα, για να μη σπάσουν. Εννοείται πως πρέπει να τα βγάζουμε με την ίδια προσοχή.

Η διάρκεια του βρασίματος των αυγών πρέπει να είναι 10 λεπτά της ώρας, από τη στιγμή που θα αρχίσουν να βράζουν. Τότε τα αυγά θα είναι σφιχτά. Εάν τα θέλουμε μελάτα, τα βράζουμε περίπου 6 λεπτά. Όταν βάψουμε όλα τα αυγά, τα αλείφουμε με ένα πανάκι με λίγο λάδι και κατόπιν τα σκουπίζουμε.
  Βάψιμο αυγών με διάφορα σχέδια

Εάν θέλουμε να βάψουμε αυγά κόκκινα με διάφορα σχέδια, τότε θα εργαστούμε ως εξής: Παίρνουμε μερικά κομμάτια από τουλουπάνι σε μέγεθος που να μπορεί να τυλιχτεί και να δεθεί γύρω από κάθε αυγό. Πρέπει να έχουμε μαζέψει διάφορα λουλούδια μικρά ή φυλλαράκια (π.χ. μαργαρίτες, πανσέδες, βιολέτες, αγριολούλουδα, φύλλα από τριφύλλι, σέλινο, μαϊντανό, κάρδαμο κ.ά. καθώς και φύλλα από αγριολούλουδα). Βάζουμε στο νερό την μπογιά και το ξίδι και τοποθετούμε την κατσαρόλα στη φωτιά για να βράσουν. Παίρνουμε ένα αυγό και ένα τουλουπάνι, τοποθετούμε επάνω στο αυγό το λουλουδάκι ή το φυλλαράκι ή και τα δύο μαζί και τυλίγουμε με το τουλουπάνι, όπως τις μπομπονιέρες, αλλά σφιχτά, για να συγκρατήσει το λουλουδάκι ή το φύλλο. Δένουμε τις άκρες του όλες μαζί με χοντρή κλωστή.

Ετοιμάζουμε κατ΄αυτόν τον τρόπο όσα αυγά θέλουμε και τα βάζουμε στην κατσαρόλα. Όταν βράσουν, τα βγάζουμε με τρυπητή κουτάλα με προσοχή ένα ένα και με ένα ψαλιδάκι κόβουμε την κλωστή. Αφαιρούμε το τουλουπάνι και τότε θα δούμε ότι έχει μείνει το λουλουδάκι ή το φύλλο σχηματισμένο. Τα αλείφουμε με λάδι και έτσι θα έχουμε αυγά πασχαλιάτικα με διάφορα όμορφα σχέδια, που δημιουργούν ωραία εμφάνιση στο τραπέζι όταν τα σερβίρουμε. Επειδή όμως ασφαλώς δεν πρόκειται να βάψουμε κατ΄αυτόν τον τρόπο πολλά αυγά γιατί θα χρειαστεί πολύς χρόνος, γι΄αυτό τα βάζουμε για στολίδι ανάμεσα στα υπόλοιπα κόκκινα αυγά για ένα πιο όμορφο αποτέλεσμα.

Από το βιβλίο: Κωνστ. Μάρκου, 

(τ. αρχιμαγείρου των βασιλικών ανακτόρων),  

Η Νεωτάτη Μαγειρική-Ζαχαροπλαστική, 

Aθήνα 1966.

Greek Easter Eggs

Fruit Tartlets

Any mix of fruits will look attractive;

choose whatever is in season.

Chilling time

1 hr

Special equipment

8 x 4in (10cm) tartlet pans

Ingredients

11⁄3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

4 large egg yolks

1⁄3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

6 tbsp unsalted butter, diced,

plus extra for greasing

For the filling

11/2 cups milk

1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

5 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1lb 2oz (500g) mixed fresh fruit, such as kiwi fruit,

raspberries, grapes, peaches

1⁄3 cup apricot jam or red currant jelly, for glazing

Method

1 Sift the flour on to a work surface and

make a well in the center. Add the egg

yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla, and butter. Work

the ingredients in the well until thoroughly

mixed, then draw in the flour until coarse

crumbs form. Press the dough into a ball

and knead for 2 minutes, until smooth. Wrap

in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

2 Bring the milk to a boil in a medium

saucepan with the split-open vanilla bean,

if using. Remove the pan from the heat,

cover, and let stand for 10-15 minutes. In a

bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar,

and flour. Whisk in the hot milk. Return the

mixture to the cleaned-out pan and cook

over low heat, whisking constantly, until

the flour has cooked and the cream is thick.

Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes.

3 Transfer the pastry cream to another bowl

and remove the vanilla bean if using, or stir

in the vanilla extract. Press plastic wrap

over the surface to prevent a skin from

forming. Let cool.

4 Grease the tartlet pans. Lightly flour

a work surface. Roll out the dough to 1⁄8in

(3mm) thick. Group the pans together, with

their edges nearly touching. Roll the dough

loosely around the rolling pin and drape

it over the pans so all are covered. Roll the

rolling pin over the tops of the pans to

remove excess dough. Press up the dough

edges to form a deep shell. Set the tartlet

pans on a baking sheet and prick the

dough with the fork. Chill for 30 minutes.

5 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Line each tartlet shell with a piece of foil,

pressing it down well. Bake for 6-8 minutes,

then remove the foil and bake for 5 minutes

longer. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When

cold, remove each shell from its pan.

6 Peel and slice the kiwi. Peel and slice

the peaches. Melt the jam or jelly with 2–3

tablespoons water in a saucepan. Work it

through a sieve. Brush the inside of each

tartlet shell with the glaze. Half fill each shell

with the cooled pastry cream, smoothing

the top with the back of a spoon. Arrange

the fruit on top and brush with the jam glaze.

STORE These will keep in an airtight

container in the refrigerator for 2 days.

BAKER’S TIP

Creme patissiere is one of the most useful

sweet recipes to master. Once you get the

hang of it, it is very impressive to serve.

For a lighter finish to the pastry cream, fold

about 3.fl oz (100ml) whipped heavy cream

into the cooled creme patissiere.