4 Holiday-Worthy Recipes To Cook This Weekend
For many people, ourselves included, visiting Greece often means falling in love with its food. Whether in bustling cities like Athens or Thessaloniki, or the islands, Greeks embody a deep appreciation for food and the rituals that surround it, and the taverna is often at the heart of this.
Regardless of whether they are, tavernas all approach food and cooking with simplicity. Chefs prioritise using locally grown vegetables and fruit, freshly caught seafood, and olive oil and olives sourced from the markets or nearby farms. The recipes most chefs serve have been passed down through generations, and the menus can vary depending on the location. A coastal taverna in Naxos or Crete might serve freshly caught octopus or fish, while the ones in mountainous regions are known to cook hearty stews such as Katsikaki tsigariasto, using local meats and vegetables. Cooking methods are simple – grilling over charcoal, slow braising and baking in clay pots are all techniques the Greeks have been using for centuries, and they play a big part in giving these dishes their classic flavours and textures.
Opa! Is filled with recipes inspired by our love of traditional Greek tavernas and the food they serve. ‘Opa’ is a phrase that captures the warmth of Greek culture, and it’s an expression that carries many meanings depending on the context it’s used in. It can be an expression of joy or excitement in social settings such as weddings or festivals. This book is our collection of recipes that reflect the heart of Greek food. It is a book of simple dishes that hold special memories for us, alongside recipes that are inspired by meals we’ve enjoyed at tavernas across Greece.
Inspired? Here are four recipes to try at home…
Filo-Fried Feta With Honey & Nuts
Some might say eating a whole block of feta is ‘too much cheese for one person’. We disagree. Our two great loves are cheese and honey – and here, the crispy bits of fried filo pastry pair perfectly with the sweetness of the honey. Traditionally, the Greeks also make a tiropita (cheese pie) which has a cheese and egg filling. Trust us, this simple dish is an absolute treat.
Remove the moisture from the feta using a paper towel.
Lay a sheet of filo pastry vertically on your kitchen work surface, then brush the entire sheet with melted butter. Stack the remaining two filo pastry sheets, brushing each sheet with butter in between.
Place the block of feta in the centre of the pastry and scatter with the thyme leaves.
Fold the pastry over to cover the cheese and brush with more melted butter. Fold the pastry over one last time to enclose. Brush both ends with more melted butter, then fold them over to enclose.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the pastry parcel for about three minutes on each side and on all edges, until crispy and lightly golden on all sides. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.
Drizzle the fried feta parcel with the honey, scatter with the nuts, sesame seeds and extra thyme leaves and serve.
Swordfish With Roasted Grapes & Green Olive Salsa
In our family, cooking fish isn’t just about preparing a meal, it’s a way of honouring our dad’s deep love for fishing. Growing up, we always had our boat in the driveway, a constant reminder of the countless hours dad spent out on the water, competing in fishing tournaments and creating memories that became stories shared around the dinner table. Whenever we cook fish now, it’s like dad is right there with us – and we remember how he would have prepared each fillet. For this particular dish, we have added the grapes as our little touch. Dad would have thought the grapes were a crazy addition, yet the sweetness from the roasted grapes and the tang from the green olive salsa are lovely with the swordfish. These roasted grapes are also great to add to a cheese board.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place the white grapes on the baking tray and drizzle with the honey and one tablespoon of the olive oil. Season lightly with salt flakes. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the grapes are lightly roasted but are still holding their shape.
Meanwhile, place all the green olive salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside for serving.
Heat a large chargrill or griddle pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the swordfish fillets with the remaining olive oil and season with salt flakes on both sides. Fry the swordfish for two to three minutes on each side, until lightly charred and cooked through.
Divide the swordfish among serving plates, along with the roasted grapes and fresh grapes, then drizzle the green olive salsa over.
Hilopites With Chicken
Often used in soups or paired with meat, ‘hilopites’ are a small, square, flat Greek pasta, traditionally made in villages using flour, eggs and milk. During the summer when it’s warm outside, mum’s cousin Eleni makes her own hilopites, ready to enjoy when the cold weather arrives. Eleni begins by making a dough, rolling it into a thin sheet before cutting the dough into small squares with a knife. The scene is absolutely beautiful – tables are covered with tablecloths and scattered with hilopites, while the Greek sun shines overhead and helps dry the pasta. Many traditional tavernas serve hilopites with rooster cooked in a tomato and wine sauce (kokora krasato). Our take on this dish uses chicken drumsticks, which work beautifully and are much more readily available. You can find hilopites in most Greek delicatessens.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Heat half the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or cast-iron saucepan over a medium heat. Season the chicken with salt flakes and sear on both sides for five minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and cook the onion for eight minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, spices and bay leaves and cook for two minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a further two minutes, or until fragrant.
Return the chicken to the pan. Pour in the tomato passata and 125ml of boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover with the lid, transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 1 hour.
Remove the pan from the oven and remove the lid. Scatter the hilopites into the saucy parts, making sure to coat all the pasta in the sauce. Pour 125ml of boiling water over.
Place back into the oven, uncovered, and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the pasta is soft to the bite.
Remove from the oven, put the lid back on and allow to sit for ten minutes before serving.
Sticky Fig & Honey Semifreddo
We grew up with a fig tree in our garden and one at our yiayia and papou’s house in Adelaide, so we know how figs should taste. Growing up, we would use our papou’s painting ladder to pick the figs, and they are still the most beautiful figs we have ever had. Greece is home to several varieties of figs, with most households having a fig tree in their garden. The fruit is often shared among neighbours and family. Whether fresh or dried, figs are an essential part of the Greek culinary experience – especially in summer when they are ripe and ready to be eaten straight off the tree. Here, sweet jammy figs star in our semifreddo – which is one of those desserts that you can make ahead and have ready to go when guests arrive.
Place the figs and half the sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the figs are softened and jammy, stirring occasionally. Scoop the figs and syrup into a bowl, then leave in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool completely.
Line a loaf tin with plastic wrap. Ideally, the tin would measure 9.5cm × 20 cm.
Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla bean paste. Using an electric mixer, lightly whip the cream until soft peaks begin to form.
In a separate bowl, and using clean beaters, whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar until light and creamy. Add the cream mixture and whisk until combined and creamy.
Pour into the loaf tin and stir the jammy figs through. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about three hours, until firm.
Once frozen, cut the semifreddo into thick slices and serve drizzled with honey.
Opa! Recipes inspired by Greek Tavernas by Helena and Vikki Moursellas is out now and available to buy here.
All photography: Bonnie Coumbe.
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.
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