Dolmades        

5-6servings
½ kilo (1 lb. 2 oz) long-grain rice, wash and stained
½ kilo (1 lb. 2 oz) fresh or preserved vine leaves
2-3 spring (fresh) onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
2 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Knossos mint
300 grams (5 oz) Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Salt-pepper
Wash the vine leaves well, scald them with boiling water and place them on a platter. 
Prepare the stuffing as follows:
Saute the onions in the olive oil lightly. Add the washed and strained rice, the chopped parsley and dill, the mind, a small amount of water, salt and
pepper and let these cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. Place a teaspoon of the stuffing near the base of the leaf (at the stem end) and fold it as follows:
Press the stuffing into a small sausage-like shape and fold over it the stem end and both edges-towards the middle-inwards. Then roll the stuffed leaf over to make a tight small bundle. Line the bottom of a pot with vine leaves and lay the stuffed leaves in circles. When one layer is finished, begin a new one on its top. Add same water and lemon juice and cover the last layer of stuffed leaves with an inverted plate to prevent the leaves from coming apart. Cook on medium heat for an hour and a half. Serve cold.

 Greek Salad 

3-4 tomatoes
2 medium-sized cucumbers
1 sliced onion
1 lettuce (cut)
1 green sliced pepper
200 grams (7 oz) Feta cheese
3-4 tablespoons Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
2-3 table spoons vinegar
150 grams (5 oz) black olives
2 tablespoons caper (optional)
Knossos Oregano
Salt & Pepper
First wash all the vegetables very well. Slice the tomatoes in thin quarters. Peel and slice thinly the cucumbers. Add the cucumbers, the lettuce, the oregano, the black olives, the onion, the green pepper and the caper (optional). Dress the salad with the olive oil, vinegar and salt and mix them. Add the Feta cheese broken into small pieces.
The above recipe is for 5-6 servings.

 Aubergine Salad (Melitzanosalata)    

5-6 servings
4-5 eggplants (Aubergines)
2-3 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1 small onion, grated
2 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped
150 grams (5 oz) refined oil
The juice of one lemon
Salt-pepper
Pierce the eggplants with a fork, place them in a pan and bake in a medium oven for about an hour and a half. Remove the eggplants from the oven, let them cool and prepare them as follows: slice each eggplant in the middle and scoop out the pulp. Finely chop the pulp, drain it to remove all liquid and place it in a bowl. Drain the diced tomatoes and add them to the eggplant pulp along with onions, salt and pepper and parsley. Gradually add the lemon juice and oil while mixing all the time.
Note: you may replace the refined oil with a jar of mayonnaise.

 Saganaki with Cheese      

4-6 servings
12 eggs
4-6 portions Gruyere cheese
1 teacup flour
2 teacups Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Be careful not to burn or smoke. Mix 2 eggs with flour to make a paste. Divide the Gruyere cheese into portions, immerse each portion into water first, then into the egg and flour mixture, and fry it in the heated oil until it becomes on both sides light brown in colour. Fry the remaining eggs separately in olive oil and serve them alongside the fried cheese.

Shrimps with tomatoes and Feta cheese  

1 kilo (2 lbs 4 oz) medium sized shrimps
2-3 ripe diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 diced onions
250 grams (7 oz) Feta cheese
1 teacup Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
1 Knossos Bay leaf
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and Pepper
Clean the shrimps
Saute the diced onions in the olive oil in a pot Add the tomatoes, the bay leaf, the sugar, the garlic, salt, pepper and an adequate amount of water. Cook the sauce for approximately 30 minutes Drop the shrimps into the sauce and continue cooking for another 4 minutes. Remove it from the heat. Place the shrimps and the sauce in a Pyrex dish. Spread thin slices of Feta cheese over them and bake in a strong oven for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
The above recipe is for 5-6 servings.

 Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)   

½ kilo (1 lb.,2 oz) spinach
6 spring onions, finely chopped
½ teacup dill, finely chopped
1 ½ teacups Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
Salt-pepper
Feta cheese
PASTRY
½ kilo (1 lb., 2 oz) flour
2 eggs
½ teacup butter
1 teacup warm water
Salt
Clean and wash the spinach meticulously, then drain it well. Saute the spring onions in the olive oil on medium heat until they become transparent but not brown. Shred the spinach in large pieces and add it to the onions. Season to taste. Cook for about 15 minutes over a medium heat so as the ingredients remain in the pot without any liquid, stir in the dill and the feta cheese.
Prepare the pastry as follows :
Place the flour in a bowl, add the eggs, the melted butter, salt and as much warm water as is necessary for a dough that is pliable. Knead the dough well and roll it out in thin pastry sheets with a rolling pin. Line an oiled pan with a pastry sheet, brush with olive oil, then lay two or three pastry sheets brushing each one with olive oil again. Spread the filling evenly and cover it with 3-4 layers of pastry sheets oiled in the same way as previously. Bake in a medium oven for about 45 minutes. Cut the spinach pie into pieces and serve it either hot or cold.

 Tyropita (Cheese Pie)   

1 lb Feta cheese
1 lb Filo pastry
1/4 lb Ground Kefalograviera cheese
1 cup Milk
3 tb sp Butter
4 Eggs (beaten)
Dill or Knossos Mint (diced)
Pepper
A little margarine
Mash the feta cheese with a fork and add the Kefalograviera, milk, butter, dill (or mint), eggs and pepper. Butter a pan with the margarine and place half the sheets of Filo on the bottom also buttered with the margarine (so it doesn't stick) Pour the cheese mix and cover with the rest of the Filo sheets, also buttered with margarine. Bake in medium oven for about 1 hr.

 Cretan Meat Pie

Lamb
Filo pastry
1 Onion (diced)
Knossos Garlic
Cheese
Nutmeg
Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
Knossos Oregano
Salt
Pepper
A little margarine
Boil some lamb (or any meat you want) in lightly salted water. Cut the meat up into little pieces. Season to your liking (salt, pepper, oregano, etc...) Add sautéed onions and garlic if desired. Mix the meat with various cheeses (swiss, mozzarella, kefalograviera) Spread the mixture on to oiled up Filo (you can make your own or buy ready made but ALWAYS USE OLIVE OIL as this is a Cretan recipe) Roll up the Filo taking care to tuck in the sides as you go. Bake it until it is golden brown - about 1/2 hour.

 Meat Pie       

1 ½ kilos (3 lbs 6 oz) minced (or chopped) lamb
1 kilo (2 lbs 4 oz) onions
5 tablespoons butter
10 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teacup milk
2 teacups semolina
salt - pepper
Cinnamon
1 kilo (2 lbs 4 oz) Filo pastry
Heat half the butter in a pan and saute one finely diced onion. Add the minced (or chopped) lamb, salt and pepper, the cinnamon, two teacups water and cook, until all the water is gone. Quarter the remaining onions and boil them in broth (or in water containing the bones of the lamb) in another pot. When the onions are done, take them out and puree them. Strain the broth and keep only two teacups of it. Prepare a cream with the milk, the semolina and the broth. When this cream is cold enough, add the pureed onions, the beaten eggs, the remaining butter, the cinnamon, salt and pepper. Brush the bottom and sides of a pan with butter and the line it with half the sheets of Filo pastry, brushing each one with melted butter. Spread the minced (or chopped) meat evenly and pour the cream mixture over it. Cover with the remaining sheets of Filo pastry, brushing each one with butter, particularly the top one. Bake the pie in a medium oven, until its top starts to turn pale golden.

 Tzatziki             

½ kilo (1 lb 2 oz) strained yogurt
1 cucumber
4-5 cloves grated garlic
4 tablespoons Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Drain the cucumber. Mix the yogurt and the cucumber in a bowl. Add the garlic. Pour in the olive oil and vinegar alternately mixing with a mixer Serve it as an appetizer.

Zucchini Blossoms

30 Zucchini blossoms
3 tb Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
4 Scallions, minced
1 Garlic clove; minced
1/3 cup Raw long grain rice
1/2 cup Canned tomatoes; drained
3 tb Chopped parsley
3 tb Chopped fresh Knossos mint or dill
Salt + freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp Granulated sugar

Soak the stems in cold water overnight, without soaking the blossoms. The following day, wash and drain on a towel. Cut off and discard the stems without breaking the blossoms, and set the blossoms aside while you make the filling. Heat the oil and saute' the scallions until soft. Add the garlic and rice and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, herbs, and enough water to cover the rice, then season with salt and pepper and the sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, and remove from the heat. Using a teaspoon, stuff each blossom carefully, holding it in the palm of one hand, then close it and lay it on its side in a buttered flameproof casserole large enough to accommodate all the blossoms. Continue until all are filled. Pour 1 cup of warm water into the casserole. Invert a plate over the flowers, then cover the casserole and simmer over lowest heat about 1-1/2 hours. Check every 30 minutes to see if more water is needed; if so, add warm water (it should all be absorbed when cooked). Serve with poultry, meat or fish dishes, or as a delightful first course.

Skorthalia

5 - 6 Cloves of Knossos grated garlic
4 tablespoons Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

1/3 lb Boiled Potatoes
Salt and Pepper

Skin and mash the garlic. Add the potatoes and mash them as well while slowly adding the olive oil. Salt and vinegar to taste.

Gigantes (Lima Beans)

1 lb Lima beans
1Sliced onion
3 cloves Chopped garlic
3/4 cup Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
4 Ripe tomatoes
Chopped parsley
Salt
Pepper
Soak the beans in water overnight. Boil them until soft and strain them well. Peel and chop the tomatoes and add the salt, pepper, olive oil and parsley. Spread the beans in a pan and cover them with the mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes. Serve hot or cold

Homus

2 cups Chick peas (cooked)
1 tb sp Tahini
1 Whole pressed Knossos garlic
1/2 cup Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together in your food processor. Serve with warmed pita bread

Taramosalata

1/4 lb Tarama (fish roe)
2/3 lb Boiled potatoes
1 cup Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
1 Small onion
1 1/2 Lemons (squeezed)

Mash the tarama the potatoes and the onion. Beat the mix until very soft and creamy. Add the olive oil and lemon juice together very slowly while mixing. Serve with olives.

Calamari

2 lbs Baby squids
Flour
Vegetable oil
2-3 Lemons
1/2 cup Chopped onions
Salt

Mix the flour with the salt. Wash the squid and toss it in the flour to bread it. Fry well on all sides in hot vegetable oil. Top with the onion and serve hot with sliced lemon.

Pita Bread

1 pk Active dry yeast
3 3/4 cups Flour
1/4 cup Shortening, softened
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 cup Warm water

In a large mixing bowl soften yeast in warm water. Add 2 cups flour, shortening and salt. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes on medium. Stir in as much remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic. Cover, and let rest in a warm place about 15 minutes. Divide into 12 equal portions. Roll each piece with floured hands into a smooth ball. Cover with a damp cloth, let rest 10 minutes. Using fingers, flatten balls. Cover, let rest 10 minutes. On a well floured surface lightly roll one piece of dough at a time into a circle 6 inches in diameter, turning dough over once. Do not puncture or tear dough. (Work with enough flour so dough does not stick) Place on baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time, in a 450 F oven about 3 minutes or until dough is puffed and softly set. Turn with a spatula, and bake 2 more minutes until dough is light brown. Repeat with remaining dough, baking one batch before uncovering and rolling the next. To serve, slice bread crosswise and fill the pockets with a filling or cut into wedges and pan fry to a crisp for dipping.

Marinated Octopus

2 med. octopus
1 cup Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup wine vinegar
1 lg. onion
1 tablespoon Knossos oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons rosemary
1/2 cup lemon juice

Place octopus in a large pan with plenty of water and boil for 2 hours. Remove from heat; wash and remove the skin. Cut in desired size pieces. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the lemon juice, and add octopus. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
When ready to serve stir in the lemon juice.

Sykotakia Ladorigani (Pan fried Liver)

1 lb chicken, or lamb, or calf liver
Flour (for dredging)
The juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
Sitia Extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
Salt
Pepper
Knossos Oregano
Wash the liver very well. If using lamb's or calf's liver, cut it into strips or cubes. Season the liver with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour. Shake off excess and fry in the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the oregano, lemon juice and garlic (if used). Pour the contents of the pan onto a serving dish and serve with lemon wedges and bread for dipping into the oil/lemon/oregano mixture. May also be served as a main course. Simply increase the quantities according to how many people are being served. Serve with either fried potatoes or plain white rice.

Traditional Cretan Salad (Dog Bread)

Ripe red tomatoes
1 large Cretan Hard Bread rusk. (Dog Bread).
1/2 kg. strained yogurt
1 cucumber
2 large onions
Parsley
1 green pepper
Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
Vinegar
Salt - black pepper - red pepper

Chop the tomatoes in cubes. Chop the onions, the cucumber and the green pepper in slices. Put the rusk on the bottom of a salad bowl. On top, spread a layer of tomato, onions, cucumber, parsley, olive oil and vinegar. Then spread a new layer of yogurt , salt and red pepper. Spread another layer of tomato, onions and cucumber and another one with yogurt. On top, spread the slices of green pepper, the chopped onion, salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Lift the bowl and tilt it from one side to the other so that the sauce goes everywhere. Place it in the refrigerator and serve cool. sprinkle with the rest of the parsley before serving

Kotopita (Chicken Pie with rice and raisins)

8-12 servings)
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
3 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, trimmed, poached, and shredded
1/2 teaspoon Knossos cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon Knossos ground nutmeg
1/4 cup long-grain rice
2 teaspoons Knossos mint
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 eggs
Salt, black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated kefalotyri cheese
1 pound box fillo pastry
3/4 - 1 cup butter, melted, or Sitia Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onions until wilted. In a large mixing bowl, combine the onions, shredded chicken, spices, rice, mint, raisins and remaining olive oil. Mix tin the beaten eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for about 50 minutes to one hour, or until the fillo is crisp and golden. Remove, cool for 20-30 minutes, and serve.

Traditional Cretan Fried Courgettes (Kolokythakia Tiganita)

1 kg large courgettes
Sitia extra virgin olive oil
1 small bottle of beer
2 teacups flour
Salt - black pepper

Wash and cut the cougettes into thin slices. Salt and place in a colander for about an hour to drain. Prepare a thick batter as follows: Mix two cups of flour with one cup of beer and a liitle salt. Let the batter sit for half an hour. Dip the courgette slices one by one in the batter and fry in very hot oil. Serve hot or cold with Tzatziki or Skorthalia.

Traditional Cretan Fried Aubergines (Melitanes Tiganites)

1 kg large Aubergines
Sitia extra virgin olive oil
1 small bottle of beer
2 teacups flour
Salt - black pepper

Wash and cut the aubergines into thin slices. Salt and place in a colander for about an hour to drain. Prepare a thick batter as follows: Mix two cups of flour with one cup of beer and a liitle salt. Let the batter sit for half an hour. Dip the aubergine slices one by one in the batter and fry in very hot oil. Serve hot or cold with Tzatziki or Skorthalia.

Traditional Cretan Fried Peppers (Piperies Tiganites)

1/2 kg long Peppers
Sitia extra virgin olive oil
Salt - black pepper

Wash peppers well, remove seeds, salt and drain.Heat oil in frying pan, add the peppers turning as soon as they brown. Arrange them on a small plate and sprinkle with vinegar. Serve cold with Ouzo or Wine.

Mizithropites (Cottage Cheese Pie)   

kilo of flour
2 tbsps of   Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
water and a small glass of raki to make a fluffy dough
1 kilo of mizithra (sweet or sour)

Roll out the dough, cut out round pieces, and place some Mizithra cheese (sweet or sour, whichever you like) on each half, folding the other half over it and forming crescents. Deep-fry.

Scrambled Eggs with Tomato and Courgettes (Avga Strapatsata)   

1 lb. of Courgettes
1 lb. of tomatoes
1 cup of   Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
5 eggs
salt - pepper
Cut the zucchini in small peices and brown them with the finnely chopped onion in a pan with oil. Add the tomatoes the salt and pepper: Simmer

When zucchini are cooked, beat the eggs, and add them to the pan. Stir and let the eggs cook.

 

Kremydopita (Onion Pie)

(8-12 servings)
4 tablespoons, Sitia Extra virgin olive oil plus 4 teaspoons for brushing fillo
16 medium - sized onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cups fresh dill, chopped
4 tablespoons seedless raisins
4 tablespoons bulgur (cracked wheat)
6 tablespoons kefalotyri cheese, grated
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Salt, black pepper, to taste
1 pound box fillo pastry

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onions until wilted. In a large mixing bowl, combine the onions with dill, raisins, bulgar, grated cheese, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Mix in the eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for about 50 minutes to one hour, or until the fillo is crisp and golden. Remove, cool for 20-30 minutes, and serve.

Patzaria Salata (Beet Salad)   

4-5 Beetroots, with stalks and leaves
Sitia Extra virgin olive oil
Vinegar
Salt
1-2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped (optional)

Wash the beetroots and the stalks very well under cold running water many times to remove any dirt. Cut the most bottom part of the beet but leave the stalks and upper leaves intact. Boil the beets for 35 to 45 minutes or until tender (depending on size), and allow them to cool in their own water. When cool enough to handle, peel the beetroots, and cut them in rounds or quarters. Cut the stems in half or thirds, depending on length. Place the beets and stems in a bowl and dress with the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and 1-2 tablespoons of the water that they were boiled in (and the garlic, if used) and mix well. This salad is an excellent accompaniment to fried or broiled fish.