Hello. Glad to start another organized week! This is "Cheese -eating week" for pious Greek Orthodox Christians. The week that ended yesterday was the last one you were supposed to eat meat, and this one is the last you are supposed to eat dairy, before the big Easter fasting that begins next Monday. Now next Monday is "Pure Monday" introducing lots of special dishes, so stay tuned!
This week's menu in our family is therefore going to be centered around dairy dishes.
But before I move on to this week's menu, I'd like to share with you an easy finger food recipe. It is called dakos and it is typical Mediterranean cuisine, quite straight forward and yummy.
First, you'll need some barley rusks. I have used the delicious "Mana" rusks from the island of Crete, in the South of Greece. You may want to moist them briefly in some water because they are quite hard at first, particularly if you are going to serve to the kids.
Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil per rusk. I have used extra virgin and cold pressed which keeps the flavor alive.
Chop the tomatoes or use a grater and mix with a pinch of oregano (if you don't have fresh in a pot, dried will do just fine).
Put a spoonful of tomato on each rusk, then add a layer of cheese. You may use, as you've probably guessed, feta, or another goat cheese or a white spread. Cottage cheese is OK and I do use it when I can't get my hands on feta.
Decorate with olives and caper. The olives I've used this time are organic from the island of Thassos in NE Greece. Capers are from Santorini in the Cyclades, which is an island complex in the Aegean. They are quite dry islands in our days, so everything they produce, including cherry tomatoes and wine, comes with a sharp, memorable taste.
Once you assemble the ingredients they are easy to make and the ingredients will last for quite some time. If you live in the UK, Sainsbury's got a good range of products, including cheese, olive oil and yogurt, but you may want to try a health food store. And you may always e-mail me if you need any help.
Enjoy!
So, off to this week's menu.
MONDAY
No day-off this week so I'll make two cheese pies today to keep us fed for a while!
Cheese pies are quite easy to make. You can either make a bechamel (white sauce) with milk, flour, eggs, pepper, a touch of butter and the cheese(s) of your choice, or you can actually make a "dough" of cheeses using a fork, then add the eggs and a little milk. To the later version you may add some fresh dill. you then put the mixture between fyllo pastry. "Good" housewives make the fylo leaves themselves, but I actually prefer buying them. You can also use puff pastry and they both give a slightly different end result, so it is worth experimenting.
The kind of cheese you may use varies. Feta, obviously, but if it is too salty for your tastes, you may put it in a bowl of water while you make the sauce, or grind the other kinds of cheese. A kind of cheese I love using because it's very nutritious and my children love it, is manouri. This is made of sheep's' milk and is soft, sweet and easy to work. Avoid greasy cheese and keep it simple. Remember to beat the eggs with a fork before adding to the mixture. Another secret is to use a brush to cover each leaf with olive oil (or melt butter), so that they become crunchy.
TUESDAY
On Monday evening I plan to make a risotto for Tuesday. I am going to put it in the oven, though, with some vegetable stock, a little olive oil and lemon. When serving, offer a bowl of yoghurt. My children love mixing rice and yoghurt and this is a good way to get some probiotics to their tummies.
WEDNESDAY
Veggies. Steamed broccoli with olive oil and lemon, served with baked potatoes and a little mustard.
THURSDAY
We eat in the shop, so it is going to be pasta fresca which I can prepare on Wednesday afternoon, and a salad.
FRIDAY
Baked legumes: potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers and onion, all in slices. Remember to put onions in a bowl of water before chopping. They are easier on the stomach. Add some olive oil, and some salt and serve with some cheese and olives.
SATURDAY and SUNDAY
An easy cheese pie for Saturday night TV. This is from Epirus in Northern Greece.
This week's menu in our family is therefore going to be centered around dairy dishes.
But before I move on to this week's menu, I'd like to share with you an easy finger food recipe. It is called dakos and it is typical Mediterranean cuisine, quite straight forward and yummy.
First, you'll need some barley rusks. I have used the delicious "Mana" rusks from the island of Crete, in the South of Greece. You may want to moist them briefly in some water because they are quite hard at first, particularly if you are going to serve to the kids.
Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil per rusk. I have used extra virgin and cold pressed which keeps the flavor alive.
Chop the tomatoes or use a grater and mix with a pinch of oregano (if you don't have fresh in a pot, dried will do just fine).
Put a spoonful of tomato on each rusk, then add a layer of cheese. You may use, as you've probably guessed, feta, or another goat cheese or a white spread. Cottage cheese is OK and I do use it when I can't get my hands on feta.
Decorate with olives and caper. The olives I've used this time are organic from the island of Thassos in NE Greece. Capers are from Santorini in the Cyclades, which is an island complex in the Aegean. They are quite dry islands in our days, so everything they produce, including cherry tomatoes and wine, comes with a sharp, memorable taste.
Once you assemble the ingredients they are easy to make and the ingredients will last for quite some time. If you live in the UK, Sainsbury's got a good range of products, including cheese, olive oil and yogurt, but you may want to try a health food store. And you may always e-mail me if you need any help.
Enjoy!
So, off to this week's menu.
MONDAY
No day-off this week so I'll make two cheese pies today to keep us fed for a while!
Cheese pies are quite easy to make. You can either make a bechamel (white sauce) with milk, flour, eggs, pepper, a touch of butter and the cheese(s) of your choice, or you can actually make a "dough" of cheeses using a fork, then add the eggs and a little milk. To the later version you may add some fresh dill. you then put the mixture between fyllo pastry. "Good" housewives make the fylo leaves themselves, but I actually prefer buying them. You can also use puff pastry and they both give a slightly different end result, so it is worth experimenting.
The kind of cheese you may use varies. Feta, obviously, but if it is too salty for your tastes, you may put it in a bowl of water while you make the sauce, or grind the other kinds of cheese. A kind of cheese I love using because it's very nutritious and my children love it, is manouri. This is made of sheep's' milk and is soft, sweet and easy to work. Avoid greasy cheese and keep it simple. Remember to beat the eggs with a fork before adding to the mixture. Another secret is to use a brush to cover each leaf with olive oil (or melt butter), so that they become crunchy.
TUESDAY
On Monday evening I plan to make a risotto for Tuesday. I am going to put it in the oven, though, with some vegetable stock, a little olive oil and lemon. When serving, offer a bowl of yoghurt. My children love mixing rice and yoghurt and this is a good way to get some probiotics to their tummies.
WEDNESDAY
Veggies. Steamed broccoli with olive oil and lemon, served with baked potatoes and a little mustard.
THURSDAY
We eat in the shop, so it is going to be pasta fresca which I can prepare on Wednesday afternoon, and a salad.
FRIDAY
Baked legumes: potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers and onion, all in slices. Remember to put onions in a bowl of water before chopping. They are easier on the stomach. Add some olive oil, and some salt and serve with some cheese and olives.
SATURDAY and SUNDAY
An easy cheese pie for Saturday night TV. This is from Epirus in Northern Greece.
Whisk together
1,5 cup flour
1,5 cup water
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
250grs feta cheese
a little olive oil for your pan and for drizzling at the top.
Pre-heat oven well, to 170C. Pour the mixture in the pan and bake until golden. Alternatively you may use 1/2 cup milk+1/2 cup water and no eggs. ou may also add some courgettes.
Cheese plate and a salad for SUNDAY.
The apex of "Cheese-week" is going to be a wonderful sweet pastry. My mum used to make it, just as her mother did, and I have kept the tradition. You may find a similar recipe here.
Enjoy the week and cook with love and care.
The apex of "Cheese-week" is going to be a wonderful sweet pastry. My mum used to make it, just as her mother did, and I have kept the tradition. You may find a similar recipe here.
Enjoy the week and cook with love and care.
For more Menu Plans please visit our host, Laura at I'm an organizing junkie!
4 comments:
I wish I could dine at your house daily! YUM
Have a great Monday.
blessings
Annie
You are so organized!
I'll have to come back later to read more of your new posts.
Have a good week,
M.
I enjoyed reading about the basis for the dairy. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Have a great week.
You simply must stop tempting me wiht your dakos and cheese pies and risottos!!! I am puttin gon weight just reading about them!!
And really you seem like the world's most organized home keeper...
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