Category: Greens

Traditional Pies from Ikaria (Pitarakia)

These traditional pies, so called “poor”, are in fact full of flavor and exceptionally healthy. They are one of the most popular, traditional foods of Ikaria.

Sautéed Greens with Onions and Tomatoes (Tsigareli)

A simple winter recipe with sautéed wild greens from Corfu. The secret is in the olive oil. Go for the best Greek olive oils, which you can find on my online store here.

Healthy: Rock Samphire

Rock or Sea Samphire, called kritamo in Greek, grows wild along the coasts of Ikaria and elsewhere. Pickled, it is a great meze for ouzo.

Penne with Pine Nuts, Spinach, Anchovies & Raisins

The combination of sweet and salty or sweet and sour is a common one throughout the Mediterranean. Greeks love the marriage of honey, vinegar and herbs, for example. Elsewhere, anchovies, pine nuts and raisins are a beloved sweet-sour trio. This is my quick and easy adaptation on a Sicilian classic.

Spicy Pasta with Spinach, Pine Nuts, Raisins

Pasta with spinach, raisins and pine nuts is a delicious combo with ancient flavor tones.

Greens in Greek Cooking: Boil or Blanch?

While it might seem odd to a non-Greek cook to boil greens until they are extremely soft, this is the way Greeks like to eat them. In Greek cooking, all sorts of greens, wild and cultivated, sweet and bitter, are boiled, typically in a big pot filled with salted water that is at the point […]

Naxos Sweet Chard Pie/ Sefoukloti

Filo pies filled with greens and sweetened with honey are found in the Cyclades and other Aegean islands. They are among the most unique Greek recipes.

Greek Spinach & Chard Stew / Bonamatsi

Bonamatsi is one of the great regional vegetarian and vegan main courses that call for greens. This is healthy food with amazing flavor! If you have some real Greek olive oil on hand with which to dress it, all the better. TO find some, go to my online store here.

Spinach Salad with Olives & Pine Nuts or Chestnuts

A great winter side dish that pairs well with all manner of proteins. To find the olive oil and olives that round out the flavors in this easy, delicious recipe go to my online store here.

Fricasse of Fish and Greens

This subtle, tangy Greek fish dish is an underappreciated classic, even in Greece. It’s traditionally made with the thin-stalked dark green celery that Greeks call “selino” but which Americans might know as Chinese celery. You cal also make this with leafy greens, such as chard. To lend a truly authentic flavor to this luscious fish […]