I started my love affair with Greek food way back in 1978 when I spent a summer in Kavala on the northern coast, teaching English to Greek children. Since then, I’ve visited most parts of this beautiful country from Athens to Thessaloniki to Giannitsa and many of the islands – Poros, Skiathos, Thassos and Zante as well as Cyprus (we had relatives there) which has very similar culinary traditions. I’ve eaten in lots of tavernas but also in Greek homes which is where, in my humble opinion, you’ll find the very best food. Like all countries, even classic recipes vary from family to family and particular regions naturally favour their local produce.

If you want to conjure up the flavours of Greece at home it’s easy to find the ingredients in our supermarkets these days but if you are lucky enough to go on holiday there, try to bring back local Greek olive oil, honey and dried oregano if you can. There’s a rustic simplicity to the food but it’s no less delicious for that; the Mediterranean diet is after all considered to be amongst the healthiest in the world. In this post, I’m going to create links to some of my favourite recipes that I’ve already published and I’ll add new ones as I come to post them. This way, you can whip up a little bit of Greek sunshine in your kitchen without having to plough through the Pigeon Cottage Kitchen recipe index which is quite extensive now.

The recipes

• Tavas – Cypriot braised beef with potatoes, tomato and oregano: a one-pot supper dish with meltingly tender chunks of beef
• Feta stuffed roast chicken with orzo: perfect for sharing with friends and family
• Memorable moussaka: layers of aubergine, minced lamb topped with a savoury custard
• BBQ lamb chops with 4 easy marinades: includes a classic Greek marinade of lemon and rosemary
• Pork souvlaki with roasted vegetables: tasty BBQ pork skewers
• Stifado: Beef, venison, goat or lamb stew made with lots of baby shallots
• Greek-style green beans: my favourite runner bean dish cooked with fresh tomatoes and good olive oil
• Tyrosalata – whipped Greek feta dip: the perfect Greek starter for sharing with warm pita bread
• Orzo Greek salad: a classic Greek salad made more substantial with some cooked orzo
• Feta and herb pie: my easy version of this classic dish made with flaky pastry rather than filo
• Peach and apricot filo pie with frangipane: the perfect Greek dessert

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