Best Greek Recipes That Use Sesame Seeds

Written by Greek Boston in Greek Cooking Comments Off on Best Greek Recipes That Use Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds are a traditional ingredient that is used fairly often in Greek cooking. They are either used whole or ground up to make a paste, referred to as tahini. From this paste, various dishes can be made, such as Tahini Halva and a Tahini Sauce that is used in some parts of Greece. One of the most common and most accessible ways to use them, though, is when the seed are left whole.

Here is a collection of Greek recipes that you can try that use whole sesame seeds:

Flatbread with Sesame Seeds

Flatbreads are commonly made throughout Greece because they are so simple to put together. The concept is also a fairly ancient one and has been present in Greece since ancient times. In this variation, sesame seeds are sprinkled on the flatbread after it is made. Referred to as lagana these breads are baked. Once they are taken out of the oven, they are drizzled with honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Sesame Seed Bread Rings

Bread rings, known as kouloura in Greece, are common throughout the country. There are different ways to prepare them. For example, at Easter and the holidays kouloura are often made with a sweet bread dough similar to tsoureki or christopsomo. This version, however, uses an ample amount of sesame seeds, which are sprinkled on just before the bread is baked. Usually, the bread is brushed with an egg wash before sprinkling the seeds so that they can stick better.

Spinach Pie with Sesame Seeds

Spinach pie, or spanakopita, is a classic dish in Greece and throughout the world. In Greece especially, however, there is a lot of variation to this dish. One of the variations includes sprinkling the phyllo dough with sesame seeds after the pita or triangles are assembled. This gives it a unique flavor and crust and makes for a pleasant variation. You should try this next time you make spanakopita for something different!

Sesame Seed Cookies (Greek Biscotti)

These special Greek cookies receive a double punch of sesame seeds because tahini is used as part of the batter, and then the cookies are finished with a sprinkling of whole sesame seeds. The cookies have the texture of a traditional Italian biscotti, but the flavors are all completely Greek. They taste great with coffee and makes for a simple, sweet dessert. Make sure that you use authentic tahini for best results. If the texture is off with the tahini, it could through off the whole cookie.

Sesame Candy (Pasteli)

Greek sesame candy, also known as pasteli, is one of the most traditional sesame recipes that exist in the cuisine. In fact, it the recipe itself can be traced to Ancient Greece. The concept is very simple. Mix honey and sesame seeds together and boil the ingredients together until the desired texture is achieved. Recipes vary slightly, and some people like this candy softer than others. Make sure you use a candy thermometer when creating this recipe for best results. It’s the only way to insure that it will be the right texture.

These Greek recipes include sesame seeds, which one of the most traditional ingredients in the cuisine. You can’t go wrong trying any of them!

Categorized in: Greek Cooking

This post was written by Greek Boston