Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!
Seize the Day! Put no trust in the morrow! — Horace
Once you learn how to prepare grape leaves for the many dishes utilizing this relatively obscure ingredient, you will never go back to buying the bottled kind found in most stores! …. That is to say, IF you have your own grape vines.
There are many ways to prepare but they all involve soaking them in some sort of brine solution first… but if you don’t have your own vines, this may convince you to plant some!
How to prepare Grape leaves for Dolmades and other great dishes.
Pastitsio (Pah-stoo-chio) is a popular Greek dish designed to feed an entire village! However, this s not to distract from the fact that it is a culinary delight! Using the traditional Greek noodles and cheese (Kefalotiri), you are transferred back in time.
There are some Greek Pastitsio that you will find drowned in a tomato sauce, but in deference to the meat eating Spartans and men everywhere, I make mine with a lot more meat… a lot more meat!
“Malon Labe!” or ‘Come and get them!
We love Greek Dolmades … Greek Grape leaves stuffed with ground lamb and pork, short grain rice and wild rice, onions, garlic, diced pimentos and seasonings ( my curry blend, french gray sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and white pepper).
Now, we roll the grape leaves! The only thing left is to enjoy!
I had heard and then read a lot about the famous ‘Honey Pie” from the Greek island of Sifnos. Some folks will tell you that it tastes like cheesecake, and possibly — as a cheese — maybe that is the closest it comes. If you make this pie thinking you are making a ‘cheesecake’ you are bound to be disappointed; however, it is a very special dessert none-the-less!
Back to the Greek Honey Pie called Melopitta, the traditional Easter treat of the island of Sifnos! Searching for authentic ingredients for “Melopitta” is challenging. Most of the knock-off recipes substitute the Greek cheese Myzithra (μυζήθρα, pronounced mee-ZEETH-rah) with Ricotta, Mascarpone or even Cottage cheese… but it is far closer to cream cheese in practical use. There are also many ‘cheesecake’ variations utilizing Myzithra with brandy, fruit and nuts.
The basic recipe is fairly standard: the filling is of grated Myzithra cheese, eggs, sugar and honey placed in a simple crust. I have seen this dessert baked in a variety of pans, but one of the most appealing presentations is baked in a shallow quiche pan with a removable bottom. Most of the recipes add only 2 or maybe four eggs per pie, but if you do this the pie will have a lot of body ( think ‘hockey puck’). I eventually added many more eggs (8) to fluff it up and it is quite enjoyable.
Myzithra is made from the milk and whey of sheep and/or goats. Recognizing the inherent strong flavors in this cheese, then I like to add some fruit or nuts (some like to bake on sliced almonds, but I most enjoy caramelized pecans).
bon appetite!