Mediterranean Recipes
Greek Spanakopita (Spinach Pie).
Ingredients:
1 package phyllo pastry sheets
1 pound fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Butter or cooking spray for greasing
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened and fragrant.
Add the chopped spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted and most of the moisture has evaporated.
Remove the skillet from heat and let the spinach mixture cool.
In a bowl, combine the cooled spinach mixture, crumbled feta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Lightly grease a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Layer half of the phyllo pastry sheets in the baking dish, brushing each sheet with melted butter or spraying with cooking spray.
Spread the spinach and cheese mixture evenly over the phyllo sheets.
Layer the remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with melted butter or spraying with cooking spray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
Allow it to cool slightly before serving.
Italian Eggplant Parmesan.
Ingredients:
2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
Salt for sprinkling
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Olive oil for frying
Instructions:
Sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and let them sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Rinse the eggplant slices and pat them dry with paper towels.
Place the flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls.
Dip each eggplant slice in flour, then egg, and finally coat with breadcrumbs.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Fry the breaded eggplant slices in batches until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
Arrange a single layer of fried eggplant slices on top of the sauce.
Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese.
Repeat the layers until all the eggplant slices are used.
Top with more marinara sauce and a generous amount of mozzarella cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Almonds.
Ingredients:
2 pounds of lamb shoulder, cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (optional)
1 cup beef or vegetable broth
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
Season the lamb chunks with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a large tagine or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Brown the lamb chunks on all sides. Remove from the tagine and set aside.
In the same tagine, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened and fragrant.
Add the ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, and saffron threads (if using). Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
Return the lamb chunks to the tagine and add the beef or vegetable broth.
Cover the tagine and simmer over low heat for 2 hours or until the lamb is tender and flavorful.
Stir in the pitted prunes and slivered almonds. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves before serving.
Serve the Moroccan lamb tagine with couscous or rice.
Turkish Lamb Kofta.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 small onion, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking
Tzatziki sauce, for serving
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, breadcrumbs, grated onion, minced garlic, chopped parsley, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and pepper. Mix well until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Shape the mixture into small oval-shaped patties or cylinders, about 2-3 inches in length.
Heat olive oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat.
Cook the lamb kofta on the skillet, turning occasionally, until they are browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Serve the Turkish lamb kofta hot with tzatziki sauce on the side.
Lebanese Lentil Soup.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Sauté the chopped onion, diced carrots, diced celery, and minced garlic until softened.
Add the rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, and cayenne pepper (if using).
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley leaves before serving.
Moroccan Chickpea Stew.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cans (14 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Instructions:
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
Add the diced carrots and red bell pepper to the pot, and cook for a few minutes until slightly tender.
Pour in the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Stir in the chickpeas and chopped spinach. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves before serving.
Serve the Moroccan chickpea stew as a hearty and flavorful vegetarian main dish.
Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik).
Ingredients:
4 large eggplants
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intact.
Score the cut side of each eggplant half in a crisscross pattern, being careful not to cut through the skin.
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the eggplants are softened.
While the eggplants are baking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened and fragrant.
Add the ground beef or lamb to the skillet and cook until browned.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped fresh parsley, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
Cook for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Remove the eggplants from the oven and let them cool slightly.
Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh from the scored part of each eggplant half, leaving a thin border intact.
Chop the scooped-out eggplant flesh and add it to the skillet with the meat mixture. Stir to combine.
Stuff each eggplant half with the meat and eggplant mixture.
Return the stuffed eggplants to the baking sheet and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the eggplants are fully cooked.
Serve the Turkish stuffed eggplant hot, garnished with fresh parsley leaves.
Greek Gyro Sandwich.
Ingredients:
1 pound thinly sliced lamb, beef, or chicken
4 pita bread rounds
Tzatziki sauce
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced cucumbers
Sliced red onion
Fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the sliced meat with salt and pepper.
Cook the meat slices in the skillet until browned and cooked through.
Warm the pita bread rounds in a separate skillet or oven.
Spread a generous amount of tzatziki sauce on each warm pita bread round.
Layer the cooked meat slices, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, sliced red onion, and fresh parsley leaves on top of the tzatziki sauce.
Roll up the pita bread tightly to form a sandwich.
Serve the Greek gyro sandwich as a delicious and satisfying meal.
Moroccan Orange and Olive Salad.
Ingredients:
4 oranges, peeled and segmented
1/2 cup pitted green olives, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a bowl, combine the orange segments, halved green olives, chopped fresh parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
Toss until well combined.
Adjust the seasoning if needed.
Let the salad sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve the Moroccan orange and olive salad as a refreshing side dish or salad.
Italian Tiramisu.
Ingredients:
24 ladyfingers
1 1/2 cups brewed strong coffee, cooled
1/4 cup coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua) (optional)
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions:
In a shallow dish, combine the brewed coffee and coffee liqueur (if using).
Dip each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture, turning to coat both sides, but being careful not to oversoak.
Arrange half of the soaked ladyfingers in a single layer in the bottom of a rectangular baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until creamy and pale yellow.
Add the mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat until smooth and well combined.
In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the mascarpone mixture until incorporated.
Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the layer of soaked ladyfingers in the baking dish.
Repeat the layers with the remaining soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture.
Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow the flavors to meld together and for the tiramisu to set.
Before serving, dust the top of the tiramisu with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Slice and serve the Italian tiramisu chilled.
