I just made "Pastitsio" and it came out terrific!

[A HERETIC I AM]

Try this recipe;

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_10805,00.html

I "kicked it up" by adding a little ground lamb and fresh dill to the ground meat mixture as well as adding a bit of fennel, rosemary and cumin.

Came out pretty yummy, if i do say so myself.

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. With romano?

vs. kefalogoveria? You can get kef... online.

[A HERETIC I AM]

9. unfortunately, yes. Romano. no decent cheese shops hereabouts

[papau]

11. Good Grief - how many Greeks - or folks cooking Greek - are on DU

In any case, not everyone is from Western Macedonia, Epirus, or the prefectures of Etolodkarnania and Evrytania where kefalogoveria (sheeps milk - or a mix of sheeps milk and goats milk) is hot stuff - granted I miss it and the 30 kinds of olives, and the similiar number of cheeses that was in Greek Town in Chicago before the idiots condemned the area so they could build the University there. The current Greek Town has a sign !!!!! saying Greek town - but so little is really left - but you can certainly get it locally there.

in anycase, here are a few web addresses - thankfully, Boston has a large enough number of Greeks that you can get it locally!

:-)

http://www.dodonicheese.com/Home/Products/HardCheese/Kefalograbiera.xml.aspx?Language=2

http://www.greekolivewarehouse.com/grkech10shmi.html

[greatauntoftriplets]

15. Greektown in Chicago is alive and well.

It is along Halsted Street, just west of the Loop. I was there two weeks ago tomorrow night. It was the old Italian neighborhood a couple miles south of there that was condemned for the University of Illinois at Chicago. Though it is rebounding with great Italian restaurants on Taylor Street.

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. You can buy it online right here.

http://www.greekoliveimports.com/item.cfm?itemid=8219

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. Thanks for the link! n/t

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. I'll be over in a bit.

I'll pass on the retsina. I don't drink. ;-)

[TreasonousBastard]

4. People who drink don't drink retsina.

[papau]

12. On a beach at sunset eating BBQ fish, Retsina is the drink of choice!

At least for some of us!

:-)

[A HERETIC I AM]

22. "She serves the smooth Retsina, she keeps me safe and warm....

it's just the calm before the storm.

Steely Dan

Well....there WAS plenty! the kids ate it all! I made a huge 11" X 15 1/2" lasagna pan of the stuff and all that was left to go into the fridge was a small 2" X 2" square!

[GOPisEvil]

3. Mmmm...Greek food.

:9

Of course, you'll have to send me a sample to get the official Greek person seal of approval. ;-)

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. Ever tried a great white Greek wine called...

...(with the oddly French name) Lac des Roches? A great dry white wine. Mmmmmmm. The triplets' father (who is of Greek ancestry and a chef) makes excellent pastitsio.

[GOPisEvil]

7. Never tried it.

I've had Assyrtico once. It goes GREAT with fish. :9

[Ilsa]

6. Thanks.

I've never tried making that. Looks pretty simple, and we need a change of flavors.

[BuddhaGirl]

8. OPA!!!

Sounds delicious! Think I'll try the recipe :-)

[corarose]

10. Fresh Fennel or Dried Fennel?

I love Pastitsio.

[A HERETIC I AM]

20. I used dry...and ground it up with a mortor and pestle with....

the rosemary (also dry) and a wee bit of cumin powder, the cinnamon,(i probably put triple the amount the recipe called for.) and some parsley. Ground all that up and threw it in with the cooking ground beef mix.

[On the Road]

14. I Love Pastitio!

almost as much as moussaka -- and a lot less trouble messing with the eggplant. The beclamel sauce is a mental obstacle.

Never made it, though. Maybe you've inspired me.

[tigereye]

16. Used to work in a Greek restaurant

Their pastitsio was amazing. I feel hungry just thinking about it. Maybe I will try to make it too. I love Greek food and our favorite one closed and was turned into a sports bar last year... :( they had the best lemon soup.. I should stop. I want to run out somewhere now and find Greek food and I'm not even pregnant!

[greatauntoftriplets]

17. I have made great avogolemno soup.

Mmmmmmmmmm. Love that also.

[grasswire]

18. mmmmmm too!

We always have greek food on Christmas Eve, even though our ancestors are all British Isles. We just love it.

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. It was really very easy! ya gotta love... (another Greek recipe here)

www.foodnetwork.com

I also make some seriously kickass stuffed grape leaves (Dolmathes, in Greek, Dolmas elsewhere.)

Get a lamb roast from...where else? COSTCO!!! and cut it up into chunks small enough for your food processor to handle. Grind it with salt and peper to taste, fresh dill and fresh mint. I like LOTS of mint. If you dont have a processor, you can mince it really fine with a sharp knife, but that is going to take you a while. Mix it with an equal amount of your choice of rice and roll in the grape leaves. My local Grocery store has grape leaves in the pickle section. rinse them well, as the brine they are packed in might give you the....er.....well....a "soft stool!" I have prepped them two ways. Cook the meat first with minced onion, salt and pepper, mix with hot rice and roll, or mix the meat raw with the cooled rice, wrapped them, and then arranged them in the bottom of a heavy pot and covered them in any broth you like. Beef is ok, a lamb broth you make yourself is better. Weigh them down to hold them in place while you simmer them for about 45 minutes. If you dont weigh them down, they tend to fall apart. Best way to do that i have found is arrange them in the pot so they are "Dished" or concave and place a soup bowl in there. Weigh the soup bowl down with a milk bottle filled with pennies and water or anything that is heavy, wont be affected by boiling water and wont impart any taste will work.
With the help of a friend, drain while holding the soup bowl in place ( so you dont dump them all in the sink!) Serve with lots of lemon wedges. VERY time consuming but REALLY good and yummy finger food.

I have been an over the road trucker since 1987 and when i am on the road, i am limited to what i can eat by where i can find room to park my truck. As a result, i can recite alomost every truckstop menu in the country! It gets old real fast. So, when i am home, i cook! And i am pretty much self taught.

I am always looking for ideas and recipes and like trying new things. I hope you all enjoy doing the same.
Thanks for all the ideas and links!

[A HERETIC I AM]

24. The sauce was really easy too....dont be intimidated by custards!

Just follow that recipe i linked. It worked like a charm.

Bon Appetito!

[Ellen Forradalom]

23. *MMMMMMMMM*

Is there enough left for me? That's one of my favorite dishes.