Greek Pasta Salad

This morning when I arrived back home from the dentist, I found two recipes on my kitchen table. One was for pizza dough and the other one was for a Greek Pasta Salad. I knew that I didn't clip them, so I wondered where they came from.  My housekeeper, Carol, said she brought them in for me.  She had gotten them from a friend of hers, Bob Fisher, that she used to work with years ago at BOCES.  She had run into him at Walmart a few days ago, and he told her to try this recipe.

I had been running around all day and was looking for a fast side dish to make with some barbecue chicken for tonights dinner, and thought this looked easy and sounded delicious.  Since everyone in my house is suddenly on a diet (the wedding is coming quickly), I thought this was great.  Not too much pasta, some olive oil, lots of veggies, okay, so the cheese and salami is not quite diet like, but not as bad as my usual fettuccine alfredo!

I'm sorry I didn't have time to do a step by step on this recipe, but I was trying to get it done quickly, and it's pretty basic to do, so I am just giving you the recipe on this one.  Try it, I sampled a little to check the seasonings and it was delicious!

Here is the recipe:

Greek Pasta Salad

1 box of spiral pasta (Rotelli) cooked according to the package directions

For the dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I used red wine with garlic)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I had garlic salt)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I used a little less)

3/4 teaspoon sugar

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin slices and then finely diced

2 bunches of scallions, finely chopped

1 can medium sized black olives, pitted, drained and cut in half

10 - 12 Kalamata Olives, pitted, and cut in half

3/4 cup Genoa Salami (I bought a little under 1/2 pound and had them slice it about 1/4 - inch thick) cut into cubes

3/4 cup crumbled Feta Cheese (I bought about a 6 ounce piece, and crumbled it myself so it would be fresh)

In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, basil, oregano, pepper, and sugar with a whisk.

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to the directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

While the pasta is cooking, cut the tomatoes, red bell pepper, scallions, olives, and salami.

Add the cooled pasta to the dressing mix and toss.  Add in all the vegetable and 3/4 of the feta cheese.

Add the remaining feta cheese on the top.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

I like to serve it in a glass bowl so you can see all the colors.  This is a nice summer salad that goes together quick quickly. Enjoy!

Greek Pasta Salad

No Work Appetizer - Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives

I made this appetizer with the Sunday Comfort food dinner. I really didn't even think about it because it was so easy to do, so I apologize for not doing it in my usual format, but I think you can follow it easily.

You will need a block of feta cheese (I love the French Feta)
A small container of Kalamata olives
Black pepper
Oregano
Olive Oil

Slice the feta cheese about 1/2-inch thick and then
cut each slice in half to form 2 triangles

Place them on a serving plate

Grate a little black pepper on them

Sprinkle a little dried oregano on them (just a light dusting)

Scatter the Kalamata olives over the cheese

Drizzle a little olive oil over the cheese and olives

Eat and enjoy!

Momma Mia, Tarpon Springs is like a visit to Greece!

As we left Orlando, we headed down to Tampa to check out the sights in the surrounding areas of Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and a tiny place called Tarpon Springs. I read about it in one of the brochures we picked up in the hotel, and Marc recalled that his mother, who lives in Florida, recommended visiting there. You won't be disappointed. It is a beautiful little area, a Greek fishing village, and home to the sponge industry.


If you didn't know any better, you'd swear you were in Greece. Many of the immigrants who settled here were of Greek descent, and the Greek restaurants that abound here will tempt you as you walk up and down the streets as the aromas waft outside their doors. The dilemma will be, which one to pick when it comes time to eat. I think the best answer to that question is to come back here often and try them all!

As early as 1896, when John Cocoris, moved to Tarpon Springs from New York, the Greeks were being recruited from their home villages in Kalymnos, Halki, Symi, Hydra, Spetse, Aegena and the Dodecanese Islands. In fact, the main street in Tarpon Springs is Dodecanese Boulevard. The Greeks were expert sponge divers, and quickly adjusted to life in Florida.


As the sponge industry grew, they becan to open other ventures to support the life and culture they left behind; restaurants, candystores, coffee houses, groceries, and more.

As you walk up and down both sides of the streets, the Greek music will be playing, the boats will be unloading the sponges of the day, the aroma of the food will tempt you, and you will be lured into all the little boutiques, because they all have something to offer.



Many of the shops sell sponges, homemade soaps, olive oil skin lotion that is so incredible, your skin will feel silk the second you apply it. There are stores with beachwear, stores with clothing, stores with Greek gift ware, spice shops, you name it, this is a fun place to spend the day.

I was almost expecting Meryl Streep to be singing in the streets as we
explored this beautiful hidden gem in Florida!

I think Rae and I made a point of hitting every store on both sides of the street.
Among our stops was The Fudge Factory,

as my son Steven loves fudge. The owner Geoff


and his wife Sheri were so nice to us. Geoff assured us that his fudge would not melt in the sun, it had a hard exterior and soft creamy interior. It was all he said it would be, it was so delicious. He told us that the recipe was an old Amish recipe. The Fudge Factory ships all over the country and you can order from them on line or by phone 1-800-257-4571. Among the flavors are

chocolate nut, chocolate, rocky road (it was fabulous), peanut butter,
maple nut, and several others. They also carry a selection of salt water taffy.

Of course, we could resist buying some of the wonderful olive oil hand cream and homemade goat's milk soap from The Spongerama's Sponge Factory.


The will also ship anywhere, check them out on the web at Spongerama's Sponge Factory or call them at 727-943-2164. The assortment of soaps with every different aroma was mindboggling. I bought several bars back for the girls, Lauren, JoAnna, and Laura. The goat's milk in the soap serves as a moisturizer, and makes a creamier lather.


You can also order from Lori's Soap and Sponges as well. Here is there website or call 727-938-4171. We shopped at both places and bought goat's milk soap, olive oil soap, and olive oil hand and foot creams.

The men were getting a little tired at this point, so we knew we had to feed them.

We happened to be very close to Hellas Bakery and Restaurant
and decided to have lunch here.


We were not disappointed!

Our waiter Taki was fabulous, explained the menu, made recommendations


and even snapped a picture for us!


Steve ordered the souvlaki



Marc had the Avgolemono Soup (lemon and egg) I tasted it, and it was to die for!
Creamy and just the right amount of lemon...

and the gyro snadwich which he said was so good,
made the way it is supposed to be with fine shavings of meat!


Rae and I opted to split an appetizer and combination platter.

We ordered the Feta cheese, olives and Greek peppers
(the Feta was so creamy, yum)

and the Spanakopita and Tiropita platter that was
served with a zucchini side and rice

Everything was delicious, I really loved the Tiropita because I don't get to have it very often

It was wonderful. I just wish I had eaten less, so I could have tried the incredible desserts from their bakery which is attached to the restaurant...next time

Check out the wonderful selection of pastries, breads, and cakes...mindboggling!

The entire staff was wonderful to us
and so very friendly...eat here, you won't be disappointed!


The wonderful cashier told me that when she moved to
Tarpon Springs years ago, there was not much
for her to do, so she applied for a job at the
restaurant just to meet people...she been there over 20 years!


We had a wonderful time in Tarpon Springs. If you are on the west coast of
Florida, take a day trip there, you won't be disappointed!

Greek Spanakopita Avramidis

When Athena invited me to learn how to make the fillo dough, she had shown me some that she had in her freezer, and said she would use that to make the Spanakopita for our lunch. While it was baking, we would make another batch to replenish the batch she was using. She had taken the dough out of the freezer earlier in the day and we were ready to make the Spanakopita for lunch. It smelled so delicious as it was baking, we couldn't wait to eat it!

Greek Spanakopita Avramidis
Athena Avramidis

2 balls of homemade fillo dough
1 box of chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
2 eggs
½ teaspoon pepper
1 leek, finely chopped
6 ounces Feta Cheese

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Brush a round pizza pan with olive oil. Sprinkle a little flour on the oil.

Roll one ball of the fillo dough into a thin circle. Invert one end over a rolling pin , lift it off your work surface, and place on the prepared round pizza pan. Brush the dough with olive oil.
Place the spinach mixture on the dough and spread to the edges. Roll the second ball of fillo dough out into a thin circle. Flip the edge over the rolling pin to lift it up and place on top of the spinach mixture.

Using the tips of your fingers, pinch and pull the dough under to crimp and seal it. Do this all around the whole pie. Brush the top with olive oil. Score the pie into squares, using a knife, cutting all the way through. Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 375º F and bake another 30–40 minutes until golden brown. If the pieces did not cut all the way through, cut into squares with a pizza cutter. Enjoy

This is what you will need for the recipe:

Greek Spanakopita Avramidis
Athena Avramidis

2 balls of homemade fillo dough
1 box of chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
2 eggs
½ teaspoon pepper
1 leek, finely chopped
6 ounces Feta Cheese

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.


Have your two balls of fillo defrosted


Defrost the spinach, and drain any excess liquid


set aside



Cut off the thick end of the leek


Cut off about an inch from the top


Wash the leek very well,
they can be very sandy


Slice very thinly


Chop very fine


Brush a round pizza pan with olive oil



Sprinkle a little flour on the oil; set aside


Put the spinach, and leeks, into a bowl;


pepper,

and eggs


mix well


Open your Feta Cheese


Place it in a bowl to drain


Crumble in the feta cheese




and mix again to blend well


and set aside


Place some flour (bench flour) on your work surface


Sprinkle Flour on the ball of dough


Roll one ball of the fillo dough into a thin circle



Once the dough starts to thin out, roll from the middle
of the dough to the outer edges


Take one end of your dough, and invert it over a rolling pin ,


and use it to lift the dough off your work surface,


and place on the prepared round pizza pan


Stretch the dough so it covers the pan


Brush the dough with olive oil


Place the spinach mixture on the dough

and spread to the edges



Place a little more flour on your work surface
and on the second ball of dough

Roll the second ball of fillo dough out into a thin circle




Flip the edge over the rolling pin to lift it up


and place on top of the spinach mixture

Stretch the dough to cover the spinach


Using the tips of your fingers,


pinch and pull the dough under to crimp and seal it










Do this all around the whole pie





Brush the top with olive oil







Score the pie into squares, using a knife
cutting all the way through






Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes



Lower the heat to 375º F. and bake another
30–40 minutes until


golden brown


If the pieces did not cut all the way through,
cut into squares with a pizza cutter


Enjoy