Mezedes
TZATZIKI: Mixture of Greek yogurt, cucumber and garlicTARAMOSALATA: Paste of cod roe, white bread and lemon juice
MELIZANOSALATA: Aubergine paste
PASTA and POTATOES
MUSSAKA: Probably the most famous Greek dish. Oven baked potatoes and aubergine with meat sauce and bechamel sauce.PASTITSIO: Oven baked long bucatini like pasta with meat sauce and bechamel sauce.
YUVETSI: Oven baked pasta in tomato sauce with meat cubes. Particular shaped pasta called kritharakia (in Italian it is called "risoni") is used.
MEAT
SOUVLAKI: Meat cubes baked on skewer; best to be cooked on carbon.BIFTEKIA: Small patties shallow fried on frying pan or baked on grill.
KEFTEDES: Meatballs smaller than BIFTEKIA.
FISH
Fish cooking in Greece tends to be rather simple, either deep fried or baked on grill (sta karvouna).
VEGETABLE
GEMISTA: Rice or minced meat cooked in hollowed aubergine, tomatoes, zucchini etc.CHORIATIKI: Commonly known as "Greek salade" to foreigners. Made of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, olives and feta cheese.
PIES AND PASTIES
KREATOPITA: Pie with meat inside. Sometimes meat is mixed with feta or rice.SPANAKOPITA: Pie with spinach and cheese inside.
TYROPITA: Pie with cheese inside.
BEANS AND PEAS
Beans are Greek national food, although you don't see them much in restaurants, as being humble home food. Here on the right is simply boiled black eye beans. The Greeks eat them with salt, olive oil and vinegar.
SWEETS
BAKLAVA and BAKLAVADAKIA: Filo pastry layered with nuts baked in oven and soaked in sugar scirop. It is called BAKLAVADAKIA when smaller in size.KATAIFI: Similar to BAKLAVA, but made not with Filo, but with very thin noodles.
HALVAS: Semolina flour cooked with olive oil and sugar scirop. Good during the fasting period.
EKMEK: KATAIFI with whipped fresh cream.
GALAKTOBOUREKO: Custard and semolina pudding cooked with filo pastry and soaked in sugar syrup.
CHEESE
BREAD
Greek staple.
OLIVE OIL
Sine qua non of Greek life.
