Summer Recipes: Three Simple Greek-Inspired Dishes We Crave

Take inspiration from a nation that sure knows how to feed a rowdy crowd with this Greek-inspired menu.

Lamb souvlaki

Souvlaki is never out of fashion in Greece and will be a definite crowd-pleaser here too.

Makes 8

800g cubed lamb leg

2 tsp dried rosemary

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, zest only

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 or 2 red peppers, cut into cubes

Lemon wedges, for serving

Greek Salad

1 large red onion, sliced

4 ripe tomatoes, cut in chunks

16 olives

½ cucumber, cut in chunks

¼ cup parsley leaves

4 slices feta

Tzatziki

1 cup Greek yoghurt

1 clove garlic, crushed

¼ cucumber chopped finely

2 Tbsp chopped mint or dill

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Place the lamb in a bowl with the rosemary, oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Stir to combine well. Place the lamb, pepper and red onion evenly on to 8 skewers.

2. Heat a barbecue or frying pan to a high heat. Cook the skewers for 4 minutes on each side or until done to your liking.

3. To make the Greek salad, combine the onion, tomatoes, olives, cucumber and parsley in a bowl and serve with the feta on top and a drizzle of oil.

4. To make the tzatziki, combine the yoghurt, garlic, cucumber, mint and lemon juice and stir.

5. Serve the skewers with Greek salad, a squeeze of lemon and tzatziki.

Spinach and feta spiral

This delicious and surprisingly easy spinach and feta spiral makes an impressive party piece.

Serves 4

400g spinach, cooked, drained and chopped

150g crumbled feta

½ cup grated tasty cheese

¼ cup grated parmesan

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 egg

Freshly ground pepper

Butter, for brushing

5 pieces filo

1. Set oven to 200C. Grease the base of a 23cm cake tin (line it if it’s springform) or an ovenproof frying pan generously with butter.

2. In a medium-sized bowl place the spinach, feta, tasty cheese, parmesan, nutmeg, egg and freshly ground pepper. Combine well.

3. Lay a sheet of filo on a clean bench and cut in half lengthways. Place one sheet on top of the other. Brush one piece of filo with butter. Spread some filling evenly on the long side, then roll. Fold it into a snail shape and place in the middle of the tin. Continue with the next one, adding it to the tin until it is completely full, looking like one big spiral. Brush with a little more butter, this helps create the crispness. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until crispy and golden.

4. Serve hot with a side salad and bread for lunch.

Greek love cake

If you don’t have a food processor, stage two can be done in a bowl using your fingers, as the Greeks would do! This is just the most delicious cake to serve after dinner with a small coffee and a good spoon of thick Greek yoghurt. If you’re keen, toast and grind your almonds fresh, the taste will be even better. If this is the last thing you eat in 2022 it’ll be a very good memory.

Serves 8

2 cups ground almonds

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup raw sugar

80g softened butter

2 eggs

¾ cup Greek yoghurt

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ cup roughly chopped pistachios

Greek yoghurt, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.

2. Into a food processor place the almonds, brown sugar, raw sugar and butter, blitzing until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Press half the mixture into the base of your tin. To the remaining mixture add the eggs, yoghurt, cinnamon and nutmeg and blend to combine. Pour over the base and sprinkle with pistachios.

3. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove and leave to cool completely before slicing. Serve with extra Greek yoghurt.

All recipes by Angela Casley.