Best Greco Recipes

COFFEE GRANITA (CAFFé GRECO)

Steps:

• Stir together coffee and sugar in a bowl until sugar is dissolved, then stir in vanilla. Pour into an 8-inch metal baking pan (1-quart capacity) and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes, until slushy, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir vigorously with a fork until slightly smoother and more uniform in texture, 30 seconds. Freeze until firm enough to scoop, about 30 minutes more.
• Divide granita among serving dishes and top with whipped cream.

MY BIG FAT GRECO INSPIRED BURGER

Steps:

• Prepare an open grill for moderate direct-heat cooking
• Seed and chop the cucumber. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill and feta. Refrigerate and chill for 1 hour.
• In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until thick and well blended. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds. Arrange in a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish; coat well with dressing. Grill eggplant until tender, about 3 minutes each side, keep warm.
• Lamb burger:
• In a large bowl blend together lamb, mint, cumin, salt and pepper, to taste. Form 6 patties.
• Before grilling burgers, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack turning once, 4 minutes each side.
• Cut pitas horizontally and lightly toast over indirect heat.
• Assemble burgers as follows: pita bottom, lettuce, burger topped generously with tzatziki, a slice of grilled eggplant, and the top of the pita.

PASTA ALA GRECO

Steps:

• Boil orzo according to package directions. Drain, rinse and return to pot. Rinse and dry spinach Sliver olives (cut in quarters) Zest lemon Crumble feta With pan of drained and rinsed orzo on low heat, add all remaining ingredients and gently stir until spinach is wilted and ingredients are mixed. Serve warm.

MY BIG FAT GRECO INSPIRED BURGER

Steps:

• Tzatziki with feta:
• Seed and chop the cucumber. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, dill and feta. Refrigerate and chill for 1 hour.
• Grilled Eggplant:
• In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil until thick and well blended. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds. Arrange in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish; coat well with dressing. Grill eggplant until tender, about 3 minutes each side, keep warm.
• Lamb burger:
• In a large bowl blend together lamb, mint, cumin, salt and pepper, to taste. Form 6 patties.
• Before grilling burgers, brush the grill rack with oil. Place the patties on the rack turning once, 4 minutes each side.
• Cut pitas horizontally and lightly toast over indirect heat.
• Assemble burgers as follows: pita bottom, lettuce, burger topped generously with tzatziki, a slice of grilled eggplant, and the top of the pita.

EASY GRECO CHICKEN AND PASTA

Steps:

• Brown chicken breasts in a large skillet over medium heat in olive oil, clarified butter or a combination until juices run clear.
• Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.
• Saute garlic in pan drippings til softened.
• Add cream soup and diced tomatoes to pan, stir to combine thoroughly.
• Add Italian seasoning and cinnamon.
• Adjust seasonings, more or less of each, to your family's tastes.
• If you intend to freeze the dish for later, go lightly on the seasonings as the flavors usually intensify with freezing.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions.
• Add chicken on top of sauce.
• Top each breast with shredded cheese.
• Cover and heat until cheese is melted.
• Place pasta on a platter, top with sauce and chicken breasts.
• Pass parmasan cheese at table.
• The sauce is very, very good made fresh but is fantastic when reheated, making it a great make-ahead dish.
• Follow the directions below.
• Freezer directions: Cool sauce and chicken (do not put mozzarella on chicken breasts at this time!).
• Place sauce and chicken breasts, without mozzarella, in freezer bag.
• Remove air, seal, label, date and freeze.
• Keep pasta and mozzarella on hand for serving day.
• To serve, thaw sauce and chicken.
• Reheat on medium-low to medium heat until chicken is hot throughout.
• Proceed with recipe as directed above.
• Alternately, sauce and chicken may be reheated in the microwave at 50% power.

VITA GRECO'S GRAVY

Steps:

• Prepare the meats: In a large skillet, brown all the meats in the olive oil. There is no need to cook the meats all the way through. Remember to pierce the sausage before cooking to allow fats and water to be released. Set meats aside.
• Prepare meatballs: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Form the meatballs with your hands (there should be about 12). Fry in the olive oil over medium heat until browned, but not cooked all the way through. Set aside.
• Prepare the gravy: Saute garlic in the olive oil in the same skillet used to saute the meats. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. In a large saucepot, combine the remaining ingredients except the meats and the tomato paste-garlic mixture and simmer. When the mixture begins to bubble, add all the meats and the meatballs and the tomato paste-garlic mixture. Stir about every 15 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning and sticking. If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water at a time. Simmer for about 3 hours, keeping the lid of the pot slightly askew to prevent condensation of the gravy.

GRECO RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Brown onion and pepper. Brown meat. Add mushrooms. Boil macaroni, drain and add meat. Add tomato sauce and corn, mix well. Place in greased casserole dish. Top with grated cheese and bake for 1 hour at 300*

CHICKEN EL GRECO

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Saute the chicken in oil till browned.
• Place in a 9 X 13 baking pan.
• Add the other ingredients, except for the feta cheese if using.
• Toss together well.
• Place in oven for 35-40 minutes or till chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.

GRECO

Steps:

• Remove the dough ball from the refrigerator and leave wrapped at room temperature until the dough warms to 60°F to 65°F. Meanwhile, set up the oven with two pizza stones or baking steels and preheat to 500°F for 1 hour.
• Cut off the ends of the zucchini and yellow squash and discard. Trim away one long side (it won't be used) of the zucchini and cut the remaining zucchini lengthwise on a mandoline or by hand into thin, even slices 1/8 inch thick, discarding the other long side. You will need a total of 6 slices.
• Cut the yellow squash crosswise on a slight diagonal into slices 1/8 inch thick, discarding the end slice. You will need a total of 12 slices.
• To cook the squash slices on a panini press, heat the press according to the manufacturer's instructions. Brush both sides of the zucchini and yellow squash slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Arrange on the press, close the lid, and cook for 30 seconds. Lift the lid and check to see if the slices are etched with grill marks and tender.
• If not, continue to cook as needed. Transfer the slices to a flat plate and season with additional salt and pepper.
• To cook the squash slices in the oven, coat a half sheet pan with a generous film of olive oil. Arrange the zucchini and yellow squash slices in a single layer, turning to coat both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Set the pan on the top stone and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
• The slices will cook and sizzle in the oil but should not brown (this would toughen the edges). Transfer the slices to a flat plate and season with additional salt and pepper.
• Dust the work surface with the dusting mixture, then move the dough to the surface and dust the top.
• Sprinkle a wooden peel with the dusting mixture. Open the dough on the work surface to a 13-inch round with a slightly raised edge. Move the dough to the peel. As you work, shake the peel forward and backward to ensure the dough isn't sticking.
• Mound the mozzarella in the center of the dough and use your fingertips to spread it evenly over the surface, leaving a 3/4-inch border.
• Slide the dough onto the top stone. Bake for 7 minutes.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and place on a cutting board (or work directly on the peel if there is room to set it on the work surface). Place the zucchini slices on the pizza, arranging them like the spokes of a wheel.
• Then put the yellow squash slices between the zucchini slices, placing 2 slices in each section.
• Lift the pizza with the peel (if on a cutting board) rotate it 180 degrees and then transfer. Bake for 6 minutes, until the bottom is browned and crisp and the top is golden brown.
• Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and cut into 6 wedges. Crumble the Feta over the pizza, then scatter the olives and Peppadew peppers evenly over the top. Finish with a dusting of pecorino and oregano and with a drizzle of garlic oil over the surface and the crust.
• Just before serving, squeeze the lemon over the top.

VITA GRECO'S GRAVY

Steps:

• Prepare the meats: In a large skillet, brown all the meats in the olive oil. There is no need to cook the meats all the way through. Remember to pierce the sausage before cooking to allow fats and water to be released. Set meats aside.
• Prepare meatballs: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Form the meatballs with your hands (there should be about 12). Fry in the olive oil over medium heat until browned, but not cooked all the way through. Set aside.
• Prepare the gravy: Saute garlic in the olive oil in the same skillet used to saute the meats. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. In a large saucepot, combine the remaining ingredients except the meats and the tomato paste-garlic mixture and simmer. When the mixture begins to bubble, add all the meats and the meatballs and the tomato paste-garlic mixture. Stir about every 15 minutes, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning and sticking. If the gravy seems too thick, add a little water at a time. Simmer for about 3 hours, keeping the lid of the pot slightly askew to prevent condensation of the gravy.