Lentils with rice (Fakes me ryzi)

2 cups of dried small brown lentils

sea salt

8 cups of water

1 cup of long grain rice

1 large carrot, grated

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups of unseasoned tomato sauce or 3 tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in 1 1/4 cups of water

1 sprig of fresh rosemary (or 1 bay leaf, or 1 sprig of fresh oregano)

1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Rinse lentils under running water. Place in a large pot with plenty of cold salted water and boil over high heat for 10 minutes. Drain and discard water.

2. Add lentils and 8 cups of cold water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes and add rice. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue to boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

3. Add tomato sauce (or tomato paste and water), rosemary (or bay leaf or oregano), grated carrot, chopped onion and garlic, pepper (and optional olive oil). When boil resumes, reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until liquid reduces and is no longer watery (it will cook down to a thin sauce texture).

4. Remove pot from heat, cover with a clean dish towel, and let sit for 15-20 minutes until all or most of the remaining liquid is absorbed.

Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature along with a salad & bread.

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Baklava

500g filo pastry

2 cups chopped walnuts

3/4 cup melted, unsalted butter

1/4 cup caster sugar

cinnamon & clove to taste

Syrup

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

½ cup honey

1 tsp lemon juice

few pieces lemon rind

cinnamon stick

Bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes.

1. Melt butter and lightly grease 33 x 23 x 5cm baking tray and place nine sheets of filo separately into dish, brushing each with melted butter.

2. Mix nuts, sugar and spices and spread some of the mixture.

3. Place another three sheets of filo, buttering each, and spread some more nut mixture after the third layer. Repeat as many times until there is only enough nut mixture for one more layer.

4. Finish with three remaining filo sheets, brushing each sheet as before. Trim edges and brush top with butter.

5. Score through top layers of filo with a sharp knife into diamonds shapes. Sprinkle lightly with water to prevent top layers curling upwards.

6. Bake on centre shelf in a moderately slow oven for 30 minutes. Move up one shelf and cook for further 30 minutes. Cover with greased brown paper or foil if top colours too quickly.

7. When Baklava goes into the oven, make the syrup as directed (see above). Allow to cool.

8. When Baklava is ready, pour the cool syrup over the hot Baklava. If there is too much syrup (unless you like your Baklava swimming in syrup) you can store it in a jar for about a week and use in other sweets.

9. Leave the Baklava cool for at least 1 hour before cutting into serving portions.

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Phanourios-Cake (Phaneropita)

Custom:

As St Phanourios has answered the prayers of many over the years, it is a custom to bake a Phaneropita ("Phanourios-Cake/Bread") as a thanks-offering on the eve of the Saint’s name day (26 Aug). It is a Greek and Cypriot tradition and still practiced today.

The cake is offered at Verpers services and/or just before the Liturgy finishes on the feast day of St Phanourios (27 Aug) to be blessed by the priest with a special prayer. Afterwards, the cake is cut up and shared with parishioners or the poor. However, a Phaneropita can be made whenever someone needs St Phanourios’ help.

According to custom, the number of ingredients should be either 7 or 9.

Phaneropita Recipe – 9 ingredients:

3 cups plain flour

1 cup sugar

¾ cup olive oil

¾ cup orange juice

½ cup brandy

½ cup raisins (or crushed walnuts)

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. clove powder

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

Instructions:

1) Beat oil and sugar with electric beaters until dissolved and creamy yellow.

2) Put the baking powder into the orange juice and stir making sure there are no clumps. Add it to the sugar and oil mix. Beat until combined.

3) Then add brandy, cinnamon and clove powder.

4) Put the beaters on low speed and gradually add the flour. Then fold in fruit or walnuts.

5) Grease a pan with oil and dust with sugar and flour. Then pour in batter.

6) Bake in medium oven (fan-force 180⁰C) for about an hour or until inserting a toothpick into the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on a rack.

Got a recipe? Send it in to orthodoxevents@gmail.com

Pascha/Easter Bread (Tsourki)

Custom:

Also known as Pascha Bread, this sweet bread is made to celebrate the breaking of the Lenten fast. It is baked during holy week (Megali Evdomatha) and should be made no later than Holy Thursday before attending church.

The bread is traditionally made with 3 plaits intertwined with each other to represent the Holy Trinity. You can place 3 red eggs (kokkina avga) which represent the blood shed by Christ.

1.3kg plain flour

2 tablespoons yeast

1 ½ teaspoon bread improver

1 tablespoon honey

225g butter, melted

¾ caster sugar

6 eggs

½ cup of orange juice

1 tablespoon zest of orange

1 teaspoon vanilla

190ml milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon muhlep (grounded cherry stones)

1 egg, beaten

finely chopped blanched almonds

sugar

1. Heat milk to just lukewarm. Pour into a small bowl then dilute the yeast and bread improver into the milk.

2. Add ½ teacup of flour to the milk and mix in well until it becomes a paste. Cover and leave it to rise, it will become frothy.

3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt and melted butter. Add the eggs into the flour without beating them first. Add the sugar, orange rind, vanilla, honey and orange juice.

4. Finally add the yeast mixture to the bowl and using your hands, knead it all together to create a soft dough. Knead it until it is soft and elastic.

5. Cover the bowl with clingwrap and place in a warm area and leave until the dough rises and has doubled in size. Knead again until the dough is smooth.

6. Cut the dough into 6 equal portions. Take 3 of the portions and roll each one out to become a long sausage shape.

7. Use the 3 strips to create a plait. Pinch each end together and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Repeat with the other 3 portions to make a second loaf.

8. Cover the tray with cloth and place in a warm place and leave to rise until doubled in size.

9. Brush the top of the loaves with the beaten egg and then sprinkle with the chopped almonds and a sprinkling of sugar (or honey). Bake in a medium oven for approximately 30 minutes.

To test if it is ready, tap with your knuckle the underside of the bread, if it sounds hollow, it is ready.Leave to cool completely on wire rack.

NOTE: you can place a few boiled eggs along the plaited loaf before cooking. Just push the egg into place between the plaint strands. But, DO NOT EAT these eggs as they have been cooked twice.

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Custard Pie (Galatoboureko)

4 cups milk

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup fine semolina

¼ cup butter

grated rind of ½ lemon

cinnamon stick

pinch of salt

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

250g filo pastry

¾ cup melted, unsalted butter

Syrup

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

½ cup honey

1 tsp lemon juice

few pieces lemon rind

cinnamon stick

Bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes.

1. Mix milk, sugar, semolina, butter, lemon rind, cinnamon stick and salt in a heavy-based saucepan and heat until thickened, stirring constantly.

2. Let custard bubble gently over low heat for 5 minutes.

3. Take from heat and remove cinnamon stick.

4. Cover with a piece of buttered paper to prevent skin forming.

5. When cool blend in eggs and vanilla.

6. Butter a 33 x 23 x 5cm oven dish.

7. Place half of the filo pastry sheets (about 5 sheets) in the dish, brushing each sheet with the melted butter.

8. Pour in custard and top with remaining sheets, again brushing each with butter as it is placed in position.

9. Brush top with remaining butter and score through top three sheets of filo in 8cm squares or diamonds.

10. Trim edges and bake in a moderate oven (180⁰C) for 45 minutes until golden brown and custard is set when tested with a knife.

11. Remove from oven and cool thoroughly in the dish.

12. Make syrup. Wait till cooled before straining and pouring over the pie.

13. Leave until cool before serving.

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Sesame Bars (Pastela)

100g sugar

100g honey

200g raw (white) sesame seeds

1. Heat oven to 180C.

2. Spread sesame in a baking pan and place in the oven. Bake until sesame has turned golden then remove from oven.

3. In a medium saucepan pour the honey, add the sugar and mix them together. Boil the mixture over a medium heat until it becomes caramel like.

4. Remove saucepan from heat and add the sesame to the caramel mixture and mix well.

5. On a large plastic board (not wooden) spread the mixture with a rolling pin.

6. Use a sharp knife and cut the rolled mixture into strips. Then use a spatula to remove the strips from the board.

7. Place the strips on a cool surface or cooling rack until completely cool.

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Ratatouille (Toualou)

1 large onion (sliced semi-circles)
2 cloves of garlic (diced)
1 large carrot (chopped)
1 medium capsicum (strips)
2 zucchinis (chunks)
250g can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup of hot water
chili flakes
black pepper
paprika (red pepper)

1. Saute onions and garlic in a saucepan with a little oil until they start to go translucence.
2. Add carrot and cook until it softens.
3. Throw in capsicum and zucchini and cook for a few minutes. Season with chili flakes and peppers to taste. Turn up heat on high for about a minute.
4. Pour in crushed tomatoes and hot water. Bring to a gentle boil then turn down to simmer.
5. Close the saucepan lid and leave for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until tomato sauce has thickened.

Serve with rice or enjoy with some crusty bread.

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