Food in Ancient Greece
Lemon Pound Cake with Yogurt - Yiaourtopita
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. Baking powder 2 tsp. baking soda 1 pinch salt 1 cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs plus 2 egg whites 2 cups Greek yogurt 1 tbsp. vanilla extract Zest of 1 lemon (add more if you like it really lemony) Method: Lightly grease a tube pan or bundt cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a strainer lined with cheesecloth, strain the 2 cups yogurt for about 1/2 an hour to remove excess liquid. You want the yogurt to be as thick and dry as possible. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Using a mixer on medium high, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and continue mixing. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing. Add the eggs and egg whites and mix until creamy and smooth. With the mixer running on low speed, begin adding the flour mixture and the yogurt to the batter alternating between each. As soon as the flour and yogurt are completely mixed in, turn off the mixer. Do not over mix because the cake can get tough.Stir in the vanilla extract and the lemon zest. Spoon the batter into the cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 – 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting on to a plate. |
Greek Cheesecake (Savoury)
Ingredients: Crust- 1 cup of ground walnuts toasted 1/2 cup of finely crushed Zwiebak toast 2 tbsp. butter, melted Filling- 0.17 kilos finely crumbed fetta cheese 0.45 kilos ricotta cheese 4 large eggs 1 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes 1 cup kalamati olives, pitted and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, very finely minced 1 tsp. dried basil, crumbled 1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/8 tsp. salt Method: For crust, mix walnuts, zwieback, and butter. Press onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Preheat oven to 160°C. For filling, in a large bowl beat feta and ricotta cheeses with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs all at once, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives, minced garlic, herbs, pepper, and salt with a spoon. Pour filling into the springform pan, and place on a larger shallow baking pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when shaken. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Run a spatula around inside of the pan. Cool for 30 minutes more. Remove side of pan. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. At serving time, garnish cheesecake with fresh oregano.This can be made up to 3 days ahead of serving. Bring to room temperature (or close to it). Cut into thin slices and serve alongside a leafy, green salad (various baby lettuces would be good) that has been dressed lightly with a vinaigrette. |
Food in Ancient Greece was a big occasion, with all the house party's and banquets that went on. The Greeks had three to four meals a day!
The Greek diet consisted of foods that were easily raised on the rocky grounds of Ancient Greece. Breakfast was eaten just after sunrise and was usually bread dipped in wine. Lunch was the same as breakfast but along with some olives, figs, cheese and dried fish.
Dinner was the main meal of the day which was eaten just before sunset. It consisted of vegetables, fruit, fish and only on the odd occasion would Greeks have honey cakes afterwards. Men and women ate their meals seperately. If it was a small house, the men would eat first, then the women.
Sugar was not known among the Ancient Greeks so honey was used as a natural sweetener. Fish was the main meat in Ancient Greece. Beef was very expensive and was rarely eaten by the locals and poorer people of Greece. During religious festivals, pigs and cows would be sacrificed to the gods and then cooked and handed out to the locals. This was the only time they got to eat beef or pork.
The Greeks did not have any eating utensils so they used thier hands. bread was used to scoop out soup and it was also used as a napkin. After being used to wipe up grubby hands, the napkin would be thrown on the floor and the dog would either eat it or the servants would clean it up later. Men often came together for dinner parties called "symposiums". having guests around was a "men only" situation. Women were forbidden to attend the gatherings. After offering wine to the Gods, the men would sit and talk about politics and morals. Young girls and boys, dancers, musicians and acrobats, would usually be hired to dance and entertain for the evening. The men who attended would usually be naked throughout the whole evening!
The Greek diet consisted of foods that were easily raised on the rocky grounds of Ancient Greece. Breakfast was eaten just after sunrise and was usually bread dipped in wine. Lunch was the same as breakfast but along with some olives, figs, cheese and dried fish.
Dinner was the main meal of the day which was eaten just before sunset. It consisted of vegetables, fruit, fish and only on the odd occasion would Greeks have honey cakes afterwards. Men and women ate their meals seperately. If it was a small house, the men would eat first, then the women.
Sugar was not known among the Ancient Greeks so honey was used as a natural sweetener. Fish was the main meat in Ancient Greece. Beef was very expensive and was rarely eaten by the locals and poorer people of Greece. During religious festivals, pigs and cows would be sacrificed to the gods and then cooked and handed out to the locals. This was the only time they got to eat beef or pork.
The Greeks did not have any eating utensils so they used thier hands. bread was used to scoop out soup and it was also used as a napkin. After being used to wipe up grubby hands, the napkin would be thrown on the floor and the dog would either eat it or the servants would clean it up later. Men often came together for dinner parties called "symposiums". having guests around was a "men only" situation. Women were forbidden to attend the gatherings. After offering wine to the Gods, the men would sit and talk about politics and morals. Young girls and boys, dancers, musicians and acrobats, would usually be hired to dance and entertain for the evening. The men who attended would usually be naked throughout the whole evening!