Originally published the week of April 13, 1998
All content copyright by Worldwide Recipes.

Our "Greek Feast" week begins with these savory meatballs. Try them as an alternative to the old standby Swedish meatballs next time you have a crowd to please.

Keftedakia (Mint and Ouzo Flavored Meatballs)

2 slices home-made style bread, trimmed of crust and torn into small pieces
1/4 cup (60 ml) ouzo (or substitute another anise flavored liqueur)
6 Tbs (90 ml) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) finely chopped onions
1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
1 egg
1 Tbs (15 ml) finely chopped fresh mint leaves, or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried mint leaves
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour

Soak the bread in the ouzo for at least 5 minutes. Heat half  the olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat, add the onions, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are soft but not brown. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon, placing them in a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the bread dry (discard the ouzo) and add the bread to the onions. Add the ground beef, egg, mint, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and knead vigorously with your hands, then beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Shape the beef mixture into balls about the size of walnuts (you may find that wetting your hands with water helps prevent sticking) and then roll the meatballs in the flour to coat evenly. Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Add the remaining olive oil to a large skillet and brown the meatballs, 7 or 8 at a time, over high heat, cooking 8 to 10 minutes and shaking the pan from time to time. As each batch is done, remove them with a slotted spoon and place on an ovenproof serving platter. Keep them warm in a 200F (100C) oven while you finish cooking the rest. Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer or first course (about 30 meatballs).

Our Greek week continues with this wonderful excuse to eat chick peas, also known as garbanzos. This recipe assumes dried garbanzos. If you us canned make sure that you rinse them well and remove the skins, as described.

Chickpea Soup

4 cups (1 L) dried chickpeas (garbanzos) or 4-15 oz (425 g) cans, rinsed and drained
Water or chicken stock (about 4 cups, 1 L)
2 Tbs (30 ml) baking soda
2-3 onions, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon slices for garnish

Soak the beans overnight in warm water. Strain and dust with baking soda. Let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse with hot water and rub a few at a time between your fingers to remove the skins (discard the skins). Place in strainer and rinse thoroughly for several minutes. Put into a large pot along with enough water or chicken stock to cover and bring to a boil, skimming off the foam as it rises. Add the onions, oil, salt and pepper and simmer covered until the beans split; about 90 minutes to 2 hours. Serve hot with lemon slices. Serves 6 to 8.

Greek week continues with this simple yet elegant rice dish. These tomatoes are so good you'll find yourself making them to add to salads, eat on toast, and otherwise sneak onto a menu one way or another.

Rice Pilaf with Glazed Tomatoes

2 cups (500 ml) raw rice
4 cups (1 L) chicken broth or water
1/2 lb (225 g) cherry tomatoes, washed and stems removed
1/4 lb (100 g) plus 1 Tbs (15 ml) butter or margarine
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar

Butter a baking dish with 1 tablespoon (15 ml)  butter and put the tomatoes in it. Melt the remaining butter and pour it over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the sugar and bake in a 350F (180C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the broth or water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and stir. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes or until the rice is done. Do not stir or even open the pot during these 15 minutes. Pack rice into a ring mold and turn out of the mold onto a platter. Fill the center with the baked tomatoes and pour the sauce from the tomatoes over the rice. Serves 4 to 6.

This is honest-to-goodness one of my favorite dishes, and a perfect centerpiece for our Greek menu. Most people think of moussaka, dolmathes, spanakopita and the like when they think of classic Greek dishes. After trying this, you will wonder why it isn't at the top of everyone's list of Greek taste treats. Please, if you only cook one of this week's recipes, make it this one.

Pork and Celery Avgolemono

4 1/2 to 5 lbs. (2 Kg) celery with leaves cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
3 lbs (1.5 Kg) pork cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1/2 cup (125 ml) butter
3 medium onions, chopped
2 lemons, juice only
2 eggs
1 Tbs (15 ml) cornstarch (cornflour)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Season the pork with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large pot and brown the pork lightly over high heat, stirring frequently. Add the onions and cook 10 to 15 minutes until soft but not browned. Add enough water to barely cover the meat. Cover and cook over low heat for about 1 hour. Add the celery and cook another 30 minutes, until the celery is tender and only about 1 cup of liquid remains

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Mix the cornstarch (cornflour) in 1/4 cup (60 ml) water and add to the eggs. Add the lemon juice and beat the mixture well. Temper the sauce by slowly adding some of the hot liquid from the meat to the egg-lemon mixture, beating it in thoroughly. Pour the egg-lemon mixture over the meat and shake the pan gently over low heat until the sauce thickens. DO NOT BOIL. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

A Greek menu just wouldn't be complete without baklava. This classic pastry is easier to make than you might think, provided you can buy phyllo in your area. It is widely available in the US, usually sold frozen in most supermarkets. Elsewhere you may have to seek out a Greek or Middle Eastern specialty shop. Even if you have to go to some lengths to find it, you will agree it was worth the trouble after you take your first bite of this delight.

Walnut Baklava

4 cups (1 L) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) melted butter
1 1/2 lbs (700 g) phyllo

The syrup:
4 cups (1 L) sugar
3 cups (750 ml) water
1 1/2 cups (325 ml) honey
1 cinnamon stick
5 to 6 whole cloves

Mix together the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Select a pan the size of the phyllo sheets and brush well with melted butter. Use 4 sheets of phyllo for the bottom layer, brushing each one with butter before adding the next, and top with a sheet of unbuttered phyllo. Sprinkle with a handful of the walnut mixture. Cover with a buttered sheet, an unbuttered sheet, and another sprinkling of walnuts. Repeat until the ingredients are used up, reserving 5 sheet of phyllo for the top layer. Brush each of the top 5 sheets with ample butter, and pour the remaining butter over the top of the last sheet. Trim the edges if necessary, and cut the baklava into the traditional diamond pattern. Do not cut through the bottom layer. Sprinkle the top of the baklava lightly with water from your fingertips. Bake in a pre-heated 250F (120C) for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool.

For the syrup, combine the sugar and water in a large pot and boil for 5 minutes. Add the honey, cinnamon stick and cloves, and boil for 5 minutes more. Pour the hot syrup over the cooled baklava. Do not pour over a hot baklava, it will turn soggy. Cool then cut through the bottom layer of phyllo following the previous cuts.