Favorite Ingredients in Greek Cooking
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Greece is known for its unique cuisine, and the ingredients that are used plays a big part in that. Greek food is rich in fruits and vegetables, legumes, breads, and meats such as lamb. Aside from that, however, there are certain ingredients that stand out more than others. These are the ingredients that are responsible for the cuisine’s unique flavors and characters.
Here’s a look at some of the most common and beloved ingredients in Greek cooking:
Feta Cheese
Although there are other Greek cheeses that make up the cuisine, feta cheese is by far the most common. The cuisine simply wouldn’t be the same without it! Not only is it included in popular dishes such as Greek Village Salad and Spinach Pie, but it is also eaten on its own to accompany meals and for a snack.
Greek Olives
Olives are a staple in Greek food. The are used to top salads, to accompany meals, and even eaten as a snack. They are also included in favorite recipes such as Marinated Greek Olives and Greek Style Eggplant with Olives. There are a lot of different varieties of Greek olives that you can find, but not all of them are easily found outside of Greece unless you go through a specialty shop.
Herbs and Spices
There are a lot of herbs and spices that are part of Greek cuisine. It is hard to imagine the cuisine without it! For example, Greek oregano is highly popular and goes in so many savory recipes, it can be hard to keep track. Cinnamon is also a popular spice, and it is used in both desserts and savory cooking. Go here for more information about the herbs and spices you can find in the cuisine.
Phyllo Dough
Phyllo dough is an essential and unique ingredient in many dishes. It bakes up light and flaky, especially when separated with butter. You can’t make the likes of Baklava, Spinach Pie, or Cheese Pie without it!
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is rich and creamy. It has a slightly different flavor and much creamier texture than regular yogurt. This is also an important ingredient in certain recipes, such as Tzatziki, which is a staple condiment. In addition to that the yogurt is often doused with honey and served as a sweet dessert of even eaten for breakfast.
Honey
Greek honey is especially unique, especially since the collectors leave the honey raw when they bottle it. Honeybees are often encouraged to pollinate certain flowers to change the flavors, such as thyme, orange blossoms, and even dandelions. The pure honey is then bottled and used in recipes such as Baklava and Galaktoboureko.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is by far one of the most important ingredients in Greek cooking. In fact, most savory recipes aren’t made without it, especially if it involves sautéing or searing meat. However, it can also be used in desserts, such as this Olive Oil Chocolate Cake. The best olive oil are those that are cold pressed from authentic Greek olives.
As you can see, these unique ingredients are especially important to Greek cooking. While cooking Greek recipes at home, you will want to do your best to make sure the ingredients are as authentic as possible.
Categorized in: Greek Cooking
This post was written by Greek Boston
