Kukla’s Kouzina Flippin’ Greek!
Flippin’ Greek!, our brand new cooking series on YouTube, is the next exciting chapter in our kouzina. It’s four episodes a week, Monday through Thursday, featuring familiar non-Greek recipes we flipped to Greek-island style using ingredients and cooking techniques found in Karpathos. Each episode runs 2 to 15 minutes, the perfect length for viewers to quickly learn how to recreate foods and beverages/cocktails right alongside us.
The ingredients used in Greek-island cuisine is what sets this style of cooking apart from standard Greek fare, giving meals a fresh take that keeps them interesting. Karpathos, the home of Kukla’s Kouzina, has its own unique style, and we’ll show you how to take common dishes and reinvent them into Karpathian versions with our simple substitutions.
Many think that everyday Greek cooking is made up of dishes like spanakopita (spinach pie), moussaka, and pastitsio. These are classics for sure, but too time-consuming to make on a regular basis. During our time in Karpathos, we learned that the locals’ quick meals made from the island’s staples like fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, and protein, prepared using certain methods, came out tasting Greek-island delicious. So we thought this would be a great way to bring our hometown flavor into YOUR kouzina, adding some spicy variety to your life while keeping it simple and fast. Recipes for each week will be posted right here on our blog with links to the episodes.
This week is packed with creative lunch makeovers that will energize you for a productive afternoon. The link from each recipe to its YouTube episode will be active on the day of the week noted. Get your apron on and come cook with us!
The ingredients used in Greek-island cuisine is what sets this style of cooking apart from standard Greek fare, giving meals a fresh take that keeps them interesting. Karpathos, the home of Kukla’s Kouzina, has its own unique style, and we’ll show you how to take common dishes and reinvent them into Karpathian versions with our simple substitutions.
Many think that everyday Greek cooking is made up of dishes like spanakopita (spinach pie), moussaka, and pastitsio. These are classics for sure, but too time-consuming to make on a regular basis. During our time in Karpathos, we learned that the locals’ quick meals made from the island’s staples like fresh vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, and protein, prepared using certain methods, came out tasting Greek-island delicious. So we thought this would be a great way to bring our hometown flavor into YOUR kouzina, adding some spicy variety to your life while keeping it simple and fast. Recipes for each week will be posted right here on our blog with links to the episodes.
This week is packed with creative lunch makeovers that will energize you for a productive afternoon. The link from each recipe to its YouTube episode will be active on the day of the week noted. Get your apron on and come cook with us!
Flippin’ Greek Lunch Makeovers
Need a rescue from the usual midday meal? We’ve taken four standard lunches and deliciously Greek-ified them to spoil you forever. The recipes below partner with our YouTube episodes to show you how we do it in our kouzina. Join us!
Monday
GRILLED [BÉCHAMEL] CHEESE (episode 105)
Here we’re revamping the French grilled-cheese classic Croque Monsieur (crunch sir) or Madame (if adding the fried egg) into a kouzina indulgence using pita bread and béchamel made with Greek cheese.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
BAKING TIME 12 minutes
MAKES 1 sandwich, serving 1 to 2
1 pita (Kontos Panini Bread or Pocket-Less Pita)
1/4 cup béchamel sauce (from our Meze cookbook)
2 slices ham
Pickled fennel or 2 slices dill pickles, patted very dry
1/2 cup grated graviera cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 fried egg (optional)
1 sprig fresh thyme, for garnish
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Cut the pita in half and place on the prepared sheet. Spread both pita halves with the béchamel, covering completely. Top one pita half with ham, pickled fennel or pickles, and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining pita, béchamel side up, then top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and sprinkle with thyme. (Can be made ahead. Do not bake. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.) Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese is brown and bubbling. Top with a fried egg (if using) and garnish with a thyme sprig, if desired. Serve immediately.
GRILLED [BÉCHAMEL] CHEESE (episode 105)
Here we’re revamping the French grilled-cheese classic Croque Monsieur (crunch sir) or Madame (if adding the fried egg) into a kouzina indulgence using pita bread and béchamel made with Greek cheese.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
BAKING TIME 12 minutes
MAKES 1 sandwich, serving 1 to 2
1 pita (Kontos Panini Bread or Pocket-Less Pita)
1/4 cup béchamel sauce (from our Meze cookbook)
2 slices ham
Pickled fennel or 2 slices dill pickles, patted very dry
1/2 cup grated graviera cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 fried egg (optional)
1 sprig fresh thyme, for garnish
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Cut the pita in half and place on the prepared sheet. Spread both pita halves with the béchamel, covering completely. Top one pita half with ham, pickled fennel or pickles, and 1/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining pita, béchamel side up, then top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and sprinkle with thyme. (Can be made ahead. Do not bake. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.) Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese is brown and bubbling. Top with a fried egg (if using) and garnish with a thyme sprig, if desired. Serve immediately.
Tuesday
EGG ROLL MBOUREKIA (episode 106)
Mbourekia are basically phyllo packets made with a variety of stuffings from cheese to meat to vegetables. Here we wrapped the phyllo around veggies and lamb biftekia (Greek burgers) that are filled with feta. The mbourekia are then baked to golden perfection. Serve with tzatziki for the perfect dip.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME 15 minutes
BAKING TIME 25 minutes
MAKES 4 mbourekia rolls
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks or julienned
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks or julienned
*
BIFTEKIA
1/2 pound ground lamb (or equal amounts of lamb and beef)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup crumbled Greek feta
*
4 sheets #5 or #4 (14-by-18-inch) Kontos phyllo, thawed, at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted, or olive oil
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and completely caramelized (browned), about 10 minutes.
2. In another skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, add the zucchini and carrot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make biftekia: In a bowl, combine the ground meat, garlic, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Divide into 4 ovals with a dent in the center of each. Fill each with 1/4 cup feta and shape meat around feta to enclose. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook patties until browned, searing in the juices, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Heat oven to 350°F. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface, wide end facing you. Brush with butter or olive oil and fold over to one side, forming a 14-by-9-inch rectangle. Brush with butter or olive oil. Place some onion, zucchini, and carrot in the center. Top with a bifteki. Fold sides of phyllo over the bifteki, brush phyllo with butter or olive oil, then fold over the top and bottom. Brush all over with butter or olive oil and place seam-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat, making a total of 4 rolls. Bake until completely golden brown, about 25 minutes.
EGG ROLL MBOUREKIA (episode 106)
Mbourekia are basically phyllo packets made with a variety of stuffings from cheese to meat to vegetables. Here we wrapped the phyllo around veggies and lamb biftekia (Greek burgers) that are filled with feta. The mbourekia are then baked to golden perfection. Serve with tzatziki for the perfect dip.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOKING TIME 15 minutes
BAKING TIME 25 minutes
MAKES 4 mbourekia rolls
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, cut into matchsticks or julienned
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks or julienned
*
BIFTEKIA
1/2 pound ground lamb (or equal amounts of lamb and beef)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup crumbled Greek feta
*
4 sheets #5 or #4 (14-by-18-inch) Kontos phyllo, thawed, at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted, or olive oil
1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and completely caramelized (browned), about 10 minutes.
2. In another skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, add the zucchini and carrot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make biftekia: In a bowl, combine the ground meat, garlic, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Divide into 4 ovals with a dent in the center of each. Fill each with 1/4 cup feta and shape meat around feta to enclose. In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook patties until browned, searing in the juices, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Heat oven to 350°F. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface, wide end facing you. Brush with butter or olive oil and fold over to one side, forming a 14-by-9-inch rectangle. Brush with butter or olive oil. Place some onion, zucchini, and carrot in the center. Top with a bifteki. Fold sides of phyllo over the bifteki, brush phyllo with butter or olive oil, then fold over the top and bottom. Brush all over with butter or olive oil and place seam-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat, making a total of 4 rolls. Bake until completely golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Wednesday
SOUVLAKI QUESA-PITA (episode 107)
We’ve taken the quesadilla and reinvented it into a grilled souvlaki pita. Use a cast-iron grill pan or cook on the grill for the best results.
PREP TIME 15 minutes plus marinating
COOKING TIME 10 minutes
MAKES 1 serving
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 pound chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 Kontos panini pita
1 roasted red pepper (from a jar), patted dry, seeds removed, and sliced
1 plum tomato, sliced
1/4 cup shredded kasseri cheese
Tzatziki (yogurt sauce, from our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks), for serving
1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until combined well. Add the chicken, coating all sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. In a grill pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken slices and sauté, turning once, until cooked through and browned, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Place 1 pita on work surface and cut in half. On one half, layer with chicken, red pepper, some tomato slices, and cheese. Top with remaining pita half. In the same grill pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook the souvlaki pita, pressing down (using a weight if you have it), turning once, until heated through and browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving plate and top with dollop of tzatziki.
SOUVLAKI QUESA-PITA (episode 107)
We’ve taken the quesadilla and reinvented it into a grilled souvlaki pita. Use a cast-iron grill pan or cook on the grill for the best results.
PREP TIME 15 minutes plus marinating
COOKING TIME 10 minutes
MAKES 1 serving
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 pound chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 Kontos panini pita
1 roasted red pepper (from a jar), patted dry, seeds removed, and sliced
1 plum tomato, sliced
1/4 cup shredded kasseri cheese
Tzatziki (yogurt sauce, from our Meze and Spreads & Dips cookbooks), for serving
1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until combined well. Add the chicken, coating all sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. In a grill pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken slices and sauté, turning once, until cooked through and browned, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Place 1 pita on work surface and cut in half. On one half, layer with chicken, red pepper, some tomato slices, and cheese. Top with remaining pita half. In the same grill pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cook the souvlaki pita, pressing down (using a weight if you have it), turning once, until heated through and browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving plate and top with dollop of tzatziki.
Thursday
CHICKEN KASSERI (episode 108)
This is our Greek-island adaptation of a chicken-parmesan hero using kasseri cheese and a panini pita. Serve with a garden salad to round out the meal.
PREP TIME 10 minutes plus marinating
COOKING TIME about 20 minutes
BAKING TIME 3 minutes
MAKES 1 to 2 servings
CHICKEN MARINADE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chicken cutlet, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
*
1 Kontos panini pita
1/2 cup shredded kasseri cheese, divided
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 plum tomato, sliced or 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper
Pinch garlic powder
1. Make chicken marinade: In a shallow bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until combined well. Add the chicken, coating all sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Top pita with 1/4 cup cheese, place on a baking sheet, and bake about 30 seconds, just until cheese is melted. Set aside.
3. In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato to skillet and season with 1/4 teaspoon oregano, the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes; set aside.
4. Meanwhile, in a grill pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken slices and sauté, turning once, until cooked through and browned, about 3 minutes per side.
5. Heat oven to 350°F. On one half of the prepared pita, layer with the chicken, remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and the tomatoes. Fold over the other side of the pita, covering the filling, and bake on the sheet about 2 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Recipes copyright © Kukla's Kouzina, LLC
CHICKEN KASSERI (episode 108)
This is our Greek-island adaptation of a chicken-parmesan hero using kasseri cheese and a panini pita. Serve with a garden salad to round out the meal.
PREP TIME 10 minutes plus marinating
COOKING TIME about 20 minutes
BAKING TIME 3 minutes
MAKES 1 to 2 servings
CHICKEN MARINADE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chicken cutlet, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
*
1 Kontos panini pita
1/2 cup shredded kasseri cheese, divided
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 plum tomato, sliced or 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper
Pinch garlic powder
1. Make chicken marinade: In a shallow bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until combined well. Add the chicken, coating all sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Top pita with 1/4 cup cheese, place on a baking sheet, and bake about 30 seconds, just until cheese is melted. Set aside.
3. In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato to skillet and season with 1/4 teaspoon oregano, the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes; set aside.
4. Meanwhile, in a grill pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken slices and sauté, turning once, until cooked through and browned, about 3 minutes per side.
5. Heat oven to 350°F. On one half of the prepared pita, layer with the chicken, remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and the tomatoes. Fold over the other side of the pita, covering the filling, and bake on the sheet about 2 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Recipes copyright © Kukla's Kouzina, LLC
Thanks to Kontos Foods for their fresh and delicious phyllo and pita products!
I hope you enjoyed our week of midday makeovers. Join us next week for flipped Sliders.
Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
Kelly
I hope you enjoyed our week of midday makeovers. Join us next week for flipped Sliders.
Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
Kelly
Copyright © 2020 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
