Last month we were fortunate enough to spend some time with our good friend, Dimitrios Douros from Greece. We had the pleasure of making phyllo dough and Spanikopita, a traditional Greek Spinach pie (for those of you who missed last month’s on-line cooking class you can still access it in our archives!). Our experience spurred excitement about all the wonderful foods enjoyed in Greece. This month Dimitrios was kind enough to share some of his family recipes with all of us at Glutenfreeda.com.

Dimitrios’ Family Recipes:

Sauces/Dips:
Tzatziki — Greek Garlic Dip

Appetizer:
Keftedes

Salads:
Horiatiki (Village Style Greek Salad)
Greek Lettuce Salad

Vegetables:
Yemista
Briami

Main Course:
Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes

Breads & Goodies:
Kostas’ Anisette Biscotti
Dimitrios’ Herb & Olive Gluten-free Sandwich Bread
HerHer

These recipes are all wonderful. We truly hope you enjoy these delicious culinary treats straight from Greece thanks to this month’s guest chef, Dimitrios Douros!

Tzatziki - Greek Garlic Dip

Dimitrios: This dip has many uses: It is the 'secret sauce' in gyro or souvlaki 'sandwiches', it is used with keftedes, it is spread on bread, it is used as a dip for fried zucchini and eggplant, ...

Yield: 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 1 quart gf yogurt, thick, plain (or Kafir cheese)
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3/4 medium cucumber
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Peel cucumber. Slice open and discard seeds. Dice. Place diced cucumber in paper towel and squeeze to remove excess water. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste and add more garlic, salt or cucumber as desired. Serve chilled. (Keeps in refrigerator for weeks.)

Keftedes

Dimitrios: Can be served hot or cold. Mostly used as an appetizer or a light lunch. Usually accompanied by salted and peppered tomato wedges. Also served with tzardziki - Greek garlic spread. Because they can be served cold, they are good as a picnic/hiking/camping meal.

Yield: 15 Pieces

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef ( 90% - 93% lean )
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 teaspoon dry mint
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 slice gf sandwich bread
• Schar Mix B for coating Keftedes

- Lightly toast the sandwich bread. Cut off the crust. Dice the toast ( crouton size ) and soak it in the _ cup of milk.

- Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Do not use any milk left over from soaking the toast.

- Make 15-20, ice-cream-scoop-size pieces. You can roll them into a ball or thumb size finger. Roll in Schar-B flour - light coating - and set aside.

- Put some olive oil in a pan and warm to medium heat. Fry the keftedes on medium heat for 8-12 minutes until cooked all the way through.

- Ready to serve. For a better presentation you may want to roll over a paper towel to soak-up any excess oil.

Greek Salad - Horiatiki ( Village Style )

Dimitrios: This is the most common, traditional Greek salad. Used as side dish or sometimes as a meal in itself. Use a couple of fresh ( or freshly toasted ) slices of your gf favorite bread to dip into the juice!

Yield: 2-4 Servings

• 3 medium ripe tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1 small green pepper
• 1 small cucumber
• 3 teaspoons dry oregano
• Salt to taste and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 5 oz crumbled feta
• 5 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 bunch radishes ( optional )
• 15 pitted Kalamata olives ( optional )

Slice tomatoes, onions, green pepper and cucumber into the salad bowl. If using radishes, quarter each one and add to the bowl. If using, add olives to the bowl. Add oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil to the bowl. Mix well. Add feta and mix gently as not to break up the feta. Serve and enjoy!

Greek Lettuce Salad

Dimitrios: Goes well with Roast Lamb.

Yield: 6-8 Servings

• 2 medium heads of Romaine lettuce
• 1/2 bunch green onion
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon Red wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Tear/chop lettuce into salad sized pieces. Place in salad bowl. Chop green onions and add to bowl. Add cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Toss and serve.

Yemista

Dimitrios: A vegetarian dish. The prep takes a little time but the result is worth it! Serve hot with some feta cheese on the side. Great cold too. Yemista is the Greek word for "filled" — as in filled (stuffed) vegetables.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium tomatoes
• 2 large bell peppers
• 2 Aubergines (Italian Eggplant)
• 1 large potato
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 cup short grain, brown rice - cooked half way
• 3 Tablespoons Italian parsley ( flat leaf parsley ), chopped
• 1 small onion, diced ( coarse )

- Slice one tomato as thin as possible and line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with the slices.

- Slice open the BOTTOM of the remaining 2 tomatoes. Using a teaspoon, take out all the 'meat' of the tomatoes, chop it up and put into a large skillet. Set hollowed out tomatoes and 'lids' in the pan.

- Slice open the bottom of the bell peppers. Using a teaspoon, take out all the 'meat' of the peppers, chop it up and add it to the skillet. Set hollowed out peppers and 'lids' in the pan.

- Slice a 'lid' lengthwise on the Aubergines. Using a teaspoon, take out all the 'meat' of the aubergines, chop it up and add it to the skillet. Set hollowed out aubergines and 'lids' in the pan.

- Peel the potato. Cut lengthwise into 8 wedges. Dice two of the wedges into small pieces and add to the skillet. Cut remaining (6) wedges in half, place in a bowl with a dash of salt, pepper, paprika and olive oil. Coat thoroughly and arrange potato wedges around the vegetables in the pan.

- Dice onion and add to skillet

- Add salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and olive oil to the skillet. Mix well, cover and set it on the stove. Bring to a boil, then set to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Stir to avoid sticking. Add partly cooked rice to the skillet, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

- Remove skillet from the stove, add chopped parsley, mix well and spoon mixture into the hollowed out tomatoes, peppers and aubergines in the pan. Put the 'lids' back on the vegetables.

- Cover pan with aluminum foil and put in pre-heated oven at 350F. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 45 minutes until potatoes are done.

Briami

Dimitrios: Simple prep, great taste. Serve with feta on the side.

Yield: 4-6 Servings

• 2 zucchini
• 2 Aubergines ( Italian eggplant )
• 2 yellow squash
• 1/2 green bell peppers
• 1 large tomato
• 1 large potato
• 3 teaspoons oregano, dry
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• 4 teaspoons olive oil

- Slice the tomato thin and line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with the slices. Peel and wash the potato. Cut in half — lengthwise. Slice sideways ( thin slices ). Place in a big mixing bowl. Slice the zucchini, squash and aubergines. Add to the bowl. Dice the green pepper and add to the bowl. Add the olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, cumin and paprika to the bowl. Mix thoroughly to coat all the vegetables. Pour everything into the baking pan and spread it out.

- Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 35-45 minutes till done ( use your judgment ).

Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes

Dimitrios: Nothing so easy to make should taste so good! Serve with feta cheese on the side and Greek Lettuce Salad.

Yield: 6-8 Servings

• 6 lb leg of lamb
• 5 large potatoes
• Garlic
• 1 medium lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

- Wash the leg of lamb, trim most fat ( if any ). Place in a 13x16 pan.

- Skin 10-12 cloves of garlic and cut in half ( lengthwise ).

- With the point of a sharp knife make about 10 slits around the top of the lamb. Fill each slit with a pinch of salt, pinch of pepper and one of the garlic halves. Flip the lamb over and stuff 10 slits on that side.

- Generously rub entire lamb with olive oil.

- Cover pan with aluminum foil and place in a pre-heated oven at 350°F for one hour.

- While lamb is cooking, peel the 5 potatoes, wash and cut into 6 wedges lengthwise. Place in a bowl. Add all the juice from the lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to coat all the potatoes.

- When the hour is done, uncover the pan, flip the lamb over and arrange the potatoes in the pan around the lamb. Pour the lemon-salt-pepper brine from the bowl over the lamb. Cover pan again and return to the oven for another hour.

- At the end of the second hour take the foil off and roast for another hour ( a total of three hours in the oven ) until potatoes are a light golden brown.

- Presentation: Place lamb in the center of a large serving platter. Carefully remove roasted potatoes from the pan with a spoon and arrange on the platter around the lamb. Place 3-4 stalks of fresh rosemary on top of lamb. Bon Appetite!

Kostas' ( my dad ) Anisette Biscotti

Dimitrios: My father's favorite recipe. Great for dipping in coffee, milk , ...

Yield: 60 biscotti

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup sweet Brandy ( Metaxa 5-Star )
• 1/2 cup Ouzo ( Or Sambucca )
• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 6 cups GF Pantry - Country French Bread Mix
• 2 teaspoons anise seed

- In mixing bowl combine all ingredients EXCEPT FLOUR. Mix well.

- Continue mixing as you add the 6 cups of flour. Keep adding flour ( up to 7 cups, total ) or until dough is firm.

- Pour into 10x15 pan and spread evenly with a spatula.

- Bake in pre-heated oven at 350F for 40 minutes .

- With a sharp knife ( serrated works best ), make 11 lengthwise ( 15 inch ) cuts and 5 ( 10 inch ) cross cuts. This will yield 60 - 3x3/4 biscotti.

- Remove half ( 30 ) of the biscotti from the pan and set aside. Lay the rest on their side and bake for 10 minutes. Turn them over and bake the other side for 10 minutes.

- Take the remaining ( 30 ) biscotti and bake them on their sides the same way as the first 30.

Dimitrios' Herb & Olive Gf Sandwich Bread

Dimitrios: Parmesan cheese adds a Tuscany loaf hint to the bread.

Yield: 1 Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup water - warm
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 3 cup Dr. Schar Mix B flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1/4 cup Montina flour ( not the mix )
• 3 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 teaspoons dry thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon savory
• 15 pitted Kalamata olives -quartered

- Mix flour and Montina in a bowl and set aside

- Put all ingredients in bread machine EXCEPT flour/Montina mix. Mix well using a whisk - the more the better because it is the warm water and the energy from the whisk action that activate the yeast.

- Start Bread Machine and add flour/Montina mix a tablespoon at a time until it's all in. Add more Schar-B if needed to get the dough to a medium consistency - dough does not fall back into space made by the bread machine paddle. Depending on weather and humidity, that could be as much as an additional 1/3 cup of Schar-B.

Machine settings for Breadman Ultimate (customized)

• 20 minutes knead 1
• 70 minutes rise 3
• 65 minutes bake
• Set for Dark Crust