Volume 10, Issue 081 - April 24, 2006

Hello ,

This week's host is Chef George Kyrtatas. The content and recipes come from his cookbook, My Big Fat Greek Feast, pictured to the right.

When you walk into Hathaways's Restaurant in Cinnaminson, NJ, just a stone's throw from downtown Philadelphia, what is most likely to strike you is a sense of family, community and tradition -­ the hallmarks of the Mediterranean way of life. At the center of it all is co-owner and Executive Chef George Kyrtatas. At the startling young age of only 27, America's "Little Greek Chef" has accomplished a surprising amount in a relatively short period of time. At age 20 he was certified as Chef de Cuisine by the American Culinary Federation, perhaps the youngest ever, shortly after he was made Executive Chef of Hathaway's, and in 2005 he penned his first cookbook My Big Fat Greek Feast. Kyrtatas may love food, but when it comes to Mediterranean food it's a downright passion

Greek Cuisine:

Greek cuisine has a great variety of dishes and can be an extremely satisfying culinary adventure for everyone's tastes. Greece is a country with a long history, a country which gave birth to philosophers and architects and even cooks. Greece's culinary tradition has a span of over 4,000 years. In fact, it was Archestratos in 330 B.C., who wrote the first cookbook.

Traditional Greek cuisine differs from other cuisines because it is a combination of its entire environment. Greece has fresh, unique ingredients and a philosophy of eating and sharing meals. The Greek meal experience is unlike any other.

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Spanakopita

Spanakopita is a cheese and spinach pie wrapped in phyllo. I think it's a great first course or side dish. Serve it as a meatless entrée with a green salad.

Makes approximately 20 triangles

Ingredients:

1/4 cup water
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped scallion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
3 ounces cottage cheese
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 teaspoon salt
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1 stick butter, melted

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring water to a boil. Add spinach, cover and boil until spinach is defrosted. Place spinach in a colander and drain until barely moist. Set aside.

Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic and sauté until scallions are soft. Add the spinach, feta, cottage cheese, dill, pepper and salt. Stir to combine and remove from heat.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a buttered sheet pan. (Cover remaining dough to keep from drying out.) Lightly coat sheet with melted butter. Coat 3 more phyllo sheets, one at a time, with melted butter and stack one on top of the other.

Spoon spinach mixture on top of the phyllo dough and spread evenly.

Brush remaining phyllo dough with butter and place on top of spinach mixture, making sure to press the phyllo down firmly. Score the top phyllo into a triangle shaped piece and butter the top of the phyllo.

Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into triangles. Serve warm.

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Greece's Ingredients:

The secret of Greek cuisine is the fresh meats and fish, the abundance of great herbs and spices, and don't forget the best olive oil in the world.

The mild Greek climate allows most fruits and vegetables to be grown naturally, full of aroma and flavor. Many Greeks collect fresh herbs from their mountains and countryside. These herbs are legendary for their taste and scent. A little bit of fresh picked herbs, such as oregano, thyme, dill, or rosemary, will add an immeasurable depth to the flavors of traditional Greek dishes.

The seafood from the crystal clear Mediterranean and Aegean Seas is incomparable to inferior seafood caught in the vast oceans. Chickens, lambs, and goats in Greece are free-grazing creatures that have a unique taste not to be found on any farm.

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Asiago Cheese and Kalamata Dip

This dish is one of my favorite party dishes. For a great presentation, serve it in a fondue pot covered with Parmesan cheese and some breadcrumbs. Brown the top a little with a cooking torch. To really impress your guests, pour half a shot of brandy on top and light it on fire. Serve with Mediterranean pita chip rather than traditional breads or chips.

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives
1/4 cup finely chopped pimentos
14 ounces sour cream
6 ounces Asiago cheese, grated
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Transfer to an oven-proof casserole dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake until the mixture is golden brown on top and just beginning to bubble, about 30 minutes.

Mediterranean Pita Chips

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 large pita bread rounds
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
3/4 teaspoon paprika

Preparation:

Cut pita bread into triangle pieces and lay on a cookie sheet. Brush pita triangles with melted butter.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Evenly sprinkle mixture over pita triangles.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pita in oven and bake for 5 minutes or until pita is toasted.