1. Tzatziki Salad
Ingredients:
2 Cups Yogurt
1 large Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, ppeled
2 to 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill
Salt
Ground white pepper
1 tbsp extra vrigin olive oil
Directions:
Set a very fine mesh sieve or a colander lined with a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth over a bowl. Add yogurt, and let drain at room temperature for at least 2 hours or covered, in the refriegerator for up to 24 hours.
In a colander toss together diced cucumber and 1 teaspoon salt - let stand to drain for a half hour. Press the excess water out of the cucumbers, rinse quickly, and blot dry.
Mash together 2 cloves garlic and 2 or 3 pinches of salt until a paste is formed.
Combine the yogurt, cucumber, and garlic in a medium bowl along with the vinegar, mint, dill, and salt and white pepper to taste.
Drizzle tablespoon of olive oil over the salad and serve.
4- 6 Servings
2. Baklava
Ingredients:
2 Cups Yogurt
1 large Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, ppeled
2 to 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill
Salt
Ground white pepper
1 tbsp extra vrigin olive oil
Directions:
Set a very fine mesh sieve or a colander lined with a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth over a bowl. Add yogurt, and let drain at room temperature for at least 2 hours or covered, in the refriegerator for up to 24 hours.
In a colander toss together diced cucumber and 1 teaspoon salt - let stand to drain for a half hour. Press the excess water out of the cucumbers, rinse quickly, and blot dry.
Mash together 2 cloves garlic and 2 or 3 pinches of salt until a paste is formed.
Combine the yogurt, cucumber, and garlic in a medium bowl along with the vinegar, mint, dill, and salt and white pepper to taste.
Drizzle tablespoon of olive oil over the salad and serve.
4- 6 Servings
2. Baklava
Ingredients:1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey
Directions :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.
