Five Greek Cookbooks I’ve Loved This Year

Mediterranea, by Anastasia Miari: I received this heart-warming cookbook from my husband for my birthday and I was not disappointed! Although Anastasia is Greek by heritage, this is not strictly speaking a Greek cookbook. It’s a celebration of the Mediterranean, with recipes from the grandmothers of not just Greece, Spain, Italy and France but also Tunisia, Cyprus, Croatia and more.

I love Anastasia’s description of this book as ‘an edible baton to inspire future generations to live in the style of a Mediterranean grandmother’. ‘Share food,’ she says, ‘Eat a little of what you fancy, usually with a glass of wine. And for goodness’ sake, nap more.’ I can get on board with that, can’t you?

This is the third cookbook she’s written (after Yiayia – grandma in Greek – and Grand Dishes). Like the other two, it’s fascinating, visually stunning, and of course packed with simple, fresh and flavorsome recipes. I wholeheartedly recommend this one!

Recipes that caught my eye: beef and orzo soup, spaghetti all’amatriciana, zucchini gratin, Spanish lemon tart

Yassou, by Shaily Lipa: Inspired by the spirit of the word used to greet a loved one or friend, Yassou is described as being as much a travelogue as it is a cookbook. Shaily is an author and TV personality in Israel, but this cookbook is dedicated to her Greek grandparents with its simple, traditional and seasonal recipes… not to mention the gorgeous photographs!

She begins the book with mezes (little bites or tastes), then explores savory pastries, stuffed vegetables, soups and side dishes, seafood mains, and finally sweets. She intended it as a ‘guide to fresh, nutritious and effortlessly delicious meals that capture the warm, inviting flavors of the Mediterranean’.

Recipes that caught my eye: beet and yogurt salad, Santorini tomato patties, leek pie, stuffed peppers with cheese, tomato and orzo soup, custard pie (there’s even a recipe for homemade marzipan!)

Ikaria, by Meni Valle: Based on the simple, fresh, seasonal recipes from Ikaria, ‘the Greek island of longevity’, this cookbook is subtitled ‘an affirmation of the beautiful, simple things that matter most’. The dishes are designed to be shared. They are prepared from scratch from fresh, local ingredients, with a slant towards vegetarian recipes, and enjoyed with family and friends.

When the author asks Ilias, the owner of the hotel she stays at, what the secret to their longevity is, he says ‘We do not try to add years to our life, we add life to our years. We make the most of every day’.

Recipes that caught my eye: omelette with spring onions, vegetarian moussaka, black-eyed pea salad, mushroom pie, pork meatballs

Hellenic Kanella, by Ruth Bardis: Ruth named this cookbook after her favorite spice – cinnamon. There’s plenty of it in this memoir of recipes, each rich with distinct memories and with a common denominator – her Greek heritage.

As a child of Greek immigrants to Australia, her aim in publishing this book was to share her family’s stories, along with the simple, healthy recipes of different regions of Greece. She intertwines narrative and stunning photographs with the recipes which will surely have you running to the kitchen.

Recipes that caught my eye: cauliflower with feta cheese (because feta makes everything delicious), Peloponnese red eggs, olive oil fried potatoes with egg and feta cheese, cinnamon chicken with lemon potatoes, Greek biscotti

Beyond the Greek Salad, by Ruth Bardis: A follow-up from Hellenic Kanella above, this equally as beautiful cookbook is subtitled ‘Regional foods from all around Greece’. The chapters are organised by region, exploring recipes beyond the traditional moussaka, tzatziki, baklava, and of course Greek salad that we already know and love.

Recipes that caught my eye: white fish with lemon emulsion, Venetian pastitsio, yogurt and semolina cake, sesame-coated feta saganaki, chicken with mandarin, orange, honey and thyme, cornmeal spinach pie, and even a freddo cappuccino (I’ve enjoyed too many of these to count on a sunny Greek beach – it would be wonderful to make my own)

If I absolutely had to choose a favorite, I ‘may’ choose Beyond the Greek Salad – for its modern twists on the classics – but I honestly don’t think you could go wrong with any of these gorgeous cookbooks.

I hope you enjoyed the list, and please remember to leave a comment below to let me know which one you tried!

In the meantime, while you’re waiting for your book to be delivered, you can check out the easy Greek recipes here on Scrummy Lane.

Kali orexi! (Enjoy your food!)