Classic Sunday Dishes in 5 Amazing Recipes

We prepare classic and beloved dishes with a slight twist, from pastitsio and moussaka to zucchini avgolemono and papoutsakia, which the whole family will love from the start.

1. Moussaka with Smoked Eggplant Puree
1 hour and 20 minutes | Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the eggplant puree:

• 4-5 large eggplants
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon

For the meat sauce:

• 1 medium onion
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
• 1 garlic clove
• 3 pinches of sugar
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 500g ground beef
• 400g chopped or grated fresh tomatoes
• Salt, pepper

For the béchamel:

• 100g butter
• 200ml sunflower oil
• 250g all-purpose flour
• 2 liters of warm fresh milk
• A bit of nutmeg
• 200g grated graviera cheese
• Salt, freshly ground pepper

For the potatoes:

• 6 large potatoes
• 5-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• A bit of fresh thyme, chopped
• Salt, pepper

Method

For the eggplant puree:
Preheat the oven grill. Wash and dry the eggplants well, and pierce them with a fork in several places. Place them on the oven rack and grill for about 25 minutes or until they soften and the skin wrinkles. Remove from the oven, peel off the skin with the help of a knife, and blend the flesh with olive oil and lemon juice until smooth. Transfer the puree to a bowl and set aside.

For the meat sauce:
Chop the onion and sauté it with olive oil in a pot over high heat. Mince the garlic and add it too. Add the sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and tomato paste, stirring until well combined. Add the ground beef and mix thoroughly until browned. Add the tomatoes, stir, cover, and let simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper before removing from heat.

For the béchamel:
Melt the butter with oil in a pot, add the flour, and whisk until it turns golden. Gradually add the warm milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, whisking until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the egg yolks and graviera cheese.

For the potatoes:
Peel, wash and slice the potatoes into 1 cm thick rounds. Fry in a pan with 2-3 tbsp olive oil until golden on both sides.

Putting it together:
In a greased baking dish (25×30 cm), layer the potatoes, sprinkle with thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Mix the meat sauce with the eggplant puree and spread half over the potatoes. Add another layer of potatoes, then the remaining meat and eggplant mixture. Pour the béchamel over the top, sprinkle with cheese, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 45 minutes. Serve after cooling slightly.

Note:
Add zucchini or bell peppers sliced and sautéed like the potatoes to make your moussaka more filling.

2. Papoutsakia with Homemade Mashed Potatoes
1 hour and 10 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients

For the mashed potatoes:

• 1 kg potatoes
• 250ml cream
• 1 tbsp cow butter
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• A bit of nutmeg
• 60g grated parmesan
• Pepper

For the papoutsakia:

• 3 large eggplants
• 600g lean ground beef
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 medium red onions
• 20ml extra virgin olive oil + more for frying
• 350g fresh tomatoes, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp cumin
• 4 tbsp chopped chives
• Salt, pepper

Method

For the mashed potatoes:
Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into chunks. Boil in a pot of cold water for about 20 minutes or until tender. Heat the cream with the butter and bouillon cube, adding pepper and nutmeg. Mash the potatoes and mix with the cream mixture until smooth and fluffy. Keep warm in a bowl covered with a towel.

For the papoutsakia:
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, score the flesh in a diamond pattern, and fry in hot oil until softened. Drain on paper towels. Puree the garlic and onions, sauté with olive oil, then add the ground beef and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, nutmeg, cumin, salt, and pepper, cooking for 25 minutes. Stir in the chives at the end.

Place eggplants in a baking dish, mash the flesh slightly to create a hollow, fill with meat sauce, and top with mashed potatoes using a piping bag if desired. Sprinkle with parmesan and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes.

Tasty tip:
Try making papoutsakia with other vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers for equally delicious results.

3. Stuffed Zucchini with Chicken Mince and Saffron Avgolemono
1 hour and 20 minutes | Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the zucchini:

• 10 long zucchini or round ones
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 6 saffron strands
• Salt, pepper

For the filling:

• 450g ground chicken
• 150g grated carrot
• 3 heaped tbsp Carolina rice
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp mild mustard
• Salt, pepper

For the egg and lemon sauce:

• 3 large eggs
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt, pepper

Method

For the zucchini:
Wash the zucchini, cut off the tops, and hollow out the insides, keeping the flesh for the filling.

For the filling:
Mix all filling ingredients in a bowl, knead well, and stuff the zucchini. If there’s extra filling, form it into meatballs. Place stuffed zucchini and any meatballs in a pot, cover with water, add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Simmer covered for 35-40 minutes until cooked through, keeping 5-6 ladles of broth. After 35 minutes, add saffron-infused broth and cook for 5 more minutes.

For the avgolemono:
Beat egg whites with a mixer until fluffy, add lemon juice and yolks, then gradually whisk in hot broth (50°C) to temper. Pour avgolemono over the zucchini, shake the pot gently to mix, and serve immediately.

4. Meatballs with Potatoes and Cheese Gratin
1 hour and 10 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 150g stale bread
• 70ml fresh milk
• 500g pork mince
• 500g beef mince
• 2 eggs
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp mild mustard
• Salt, pepper

For the potatoes:

• 1 kg potatoes
• A bit of dried thyme
• 100g grated cheddar
• 100g grated kasseri
• 200g grated gouda
• A bit of extra virgin olive oil

Method

For the meatballs:
Preheat oven to 180°C (fan). Sauté chopped onion and garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft, then add thyme and oregano. Soak bread in milk. Mix in a large bowl with both minced, eggs, parsley, mint, mustard, salt, and pepper, kneading until combined. Set aside.

For the potatoes:
Peel, wash, and slice 700g of potatoes into 2 cm rounds, grate the remaining 300g. Grease a muffin tin, place a potato slice in each cup, top with a meatball, and cover with a mix of grated potatoes, thyme, and cheese. Season with pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Tip:
Alternatively, use a regular baking dish for the same delicious result.

5. Pastitsio with Phyllo
1 hour and 20 minutes | Serves 8

Ingredients

For the pastitsio:

• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 kg mixed ground meat (½ pork, ½ beef)
• 2 tbsp whiskey or cognac
• 400g fresh or canned grated tomatoes
• 60g melted butter for the phyllo
• 9 thin phyllo sheets
• 1 pack pastitsio pasta
• Salt, freshly ground pepper

For the béchamel:

• 100g butter
• 200g sunflower oil
• 250g all-purpose flour
• 2 liters of warm fresh milk
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 2 eggs, separated
• 350g grated graviera cheese