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.

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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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Greek Donuts (Loukoumades)

250g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons dried yeast
250ml warm water
vegetable oil

Syrup:
1 teacup sugar
1/2 teacup honey
1/2 teacup water

1. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the salt and mix the dried yeast into the flour.
2. Using the lukewarm water (hot water will kill the yeast) slowly add it to the flour, mixing with an electric beater until all the water has been added and the mixture is smooth and slightly frothy - don't do this for too long!!!
3. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size and looks frothy.

4. When the batter is about ready, first make the syrup by adding all the ingredients into a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes or until lightly thickened. Keep warm to serve with the donuts.

5. To deep fry the donuts you can use a deep-fryer or a deep saucepan. Fill with vegetable oil and heat to very hot, but not smoking.
6. Take a teaspoon, dipping it in water first to prevent the mixture from sticking, and take a teaspoon of mixture and drop it in the hot oil. Cook about 6-8 donuts at a time, depending on the size of your fryer.
7. The loukoumades will puff up and rise to the top of the oil very quickly. Turn them over and as they turn golden take them out with a slotted spoon and place on some absorbent paper. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
8. Heat up syrup and soak each donut and then place on a plate and sprinkle with cinnamon.

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