While Christmas may not the most important religious holiday in Greece (that would be Easter), festive meals are part of the celebrations. Pork is a meat cooked in Greece but lamb or turkey are slightly more prevalent.

The Christmas meal comprises a soup, several main dishes, salads, some side dishes and the dessert.

In case you are still looking for ideas for your Christmas menu or want to surprise your friends with a Greek themed party, WhyGo Greece presents a traditional Greek Christmas Menu, complete with recipes.

Salads & Appetizers

Tzatziki

The Greek yogurt dip is always served as appetizer (meze) and accompanies other dishes at the start of the meal. It is often served with pita.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups thick Greek yogurt
• 4 cloves of garlic chopped
• ½ cup grated cucumber
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Teaspoon lemon juice
• Optional: mint, parsley or dill leaves finely chopped;

Combine the olive oil and the lemon juice, then slowly add the yogurt, making sure it mixes really well with the oil. Add the garlic and the cucumber. Add the mint , dill and/or parsley (optional) then refrigerate. Tzatziki is always served cold.

Cabbage and carrot salad

Traditionally a “summer salad” (because you can easily find the ingredients in that season), it is a very easy (and low calorie) Greek salad, which will please pretty much anyone.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups thinly chopped cabbage
• 1 cup grated carrot
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt, pepper
• Optional: finely chopped dill

In a bowl mix the cabbage with the carrot. Add the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix and optionally add the dill, salt and pepper. Alternatively balsamic vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice.

Spinach pie

Don’t know why a “pie” would be an appetizer? Well, firstly because it’s a salty pie and secondly because it’s made with feta and spinach.

Ingredients:

• 1 pack filo pastry
• 1 kg spinach (either fresh or frozen)
• 1 kg feta cheese
• 250 grams butter (margarine)
• 2 cloves of garlic

If the spinach is frozen, let it defrost. If it’s raw, cook it and then slice it thinly. Then, mix the spinach with the crumbled feta cheese. Add the chopped garlic. In the oven tray, spread of butter (or spray). From the filo pack, take 8 sheets, one by one, making sure to spread butter (with a brush) on each one, on both sides and place them in the tray. Add the spinach and feta mixture, then place the rest of the sheets on top (again, spread butter on each of them). Put in the oven at medium heat until the pastry turns brown.

Tomato soup

Soups are traditional in Greek only during winter. While the beans soup (Fassolatha) is an “everyday” soup, the tomato soup can be a nice addition to a traditional Christmas menu.

Ingredients

• ½ kg fresh tomatoes or 1 large can
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• ¼ cup butter or 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 celery leaf, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon corn flour
• 1 cube chicken stock
• Salt, pepper, sugar

In a pan, heat the butter or the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until they change color. Add some water and the corn flour. When the flour dissolved add 5 cups of water and the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 20 min (or until the carrots are cooked). Serve hot.

Optional: you can skin the corn flour if you don’t want your soup to be thick; also, instead of a cube you can use home made chicken stock (about ½ of the water quantity needed).

Main course

Roasted leg of lamb

A very aromatic and easy to make dish, the roasted leg lamb is traditional both during Christmas time and Easter time. It can be served with a variety of vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 leg of lamb (with bone)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 8 fresh springs of sage
• 8 fresh springs of thyme (or rosemary)

Preheat the oven at 160C. Remove the extra fat from the meat. Season with salt and pepper, then rub with olive oil. Lengthwise make 4 parallel slits both at the top and at the bottom of the leg. In each one, place one spring of sage and one of thyme (or rosemary). Put the lamb leg on a oven tray, cover with foil and cook for the required time (medium: 25 min per ½ kg).

Lemon pork

Another traditional meat eaten in Greek during Christmas is pork. This stew combines the pork meat with the lemon and some vegetables (celery). It can be served with other vegetables (such as roasted potatoes).

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg boneless pork meat, cut into 5 cm chunks
• 2 kg celery with leaves
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon salt
• freshly ground pepper, water

Cut the celery into 2 cm pieces. In a pan, put the celery, cover with water and bring to boil. Boil for 10 min, strain and set aside. In another pan, stew the onion with the olive oil. When the onion is soft, add the pork and about 3 cups of water. Bring to boil and cook for 45 min at medium heat. Now add the celery, salt, pepper (to taste) and simmer for 25 min at low heat. Do not stir, just let it cook. Add the lemon juice and shake the pot. Turn off the heat and let the dish sit for 10 min.

Desserts

Christopsomo

Christopsomo is a sacred tradition in many Greek home. The bread is made to ensure well being of the home in the next year.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ tablespoons dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup warm red wine
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup brandy
• zest from 2 oranges
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups raisins
• 1 ½ cups walnuts (chopped)
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon of crushed anise seed
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ tablespoon nutmeg
• for the topping: milk, 2 walnuts, sesame seeds

In a bowl mix the yeast with ½ cup warm water and 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir and set aside for 10 min (it should start to bubble). In a large bowl mix the salt wt 2/3 of the flour. Make a hole in the center and pour the yeast mixture slowly and the rest of the water. Add the wine. Mix until a soft dough forms. Cover with wax paper and a towel. Set aside for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the dough doubles in bulk.

Punch the down and keep kneading until the air pockets are gone. Add the remaining flour, olive oil, orange juice, brandy and orange zest.

In another bowl, mix the sugar, raisins, chopped walnuts, pine nuts, anise seeds, cinnamon and nutmeg and then add the mixture to the dough. Knead again for about 10 min and let the dough sit for ½ hour.

Make sure to butter the baking pan. Make two circular loaves from the dough. Cover with a dry cloth and let the dough rise again until it doubles in size. Then, score a cross into the top of both loaves. In the center put the walnut (unshelled). Brush the bread with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds.

Preheat the oven at 230C. Place a pan with water on the bottom of the oven. Place the bread in the oven and after 15 min remove the pan with the water. Reduce heat to 200 C and bake for another 30 min. Let it cool on a rack before serving.