The Modern Domakinka

Sarma is great to serve as meze or tapas, or even as a main with lots of fresh bread and Feta cheese. My recipe for Sarma will feed up to 4 people (or make up to 50 mini Sarmi) and can be altered by replacing the vine leaves with cabbage leaves.


Ingredients 200 grams of minced meat (I prefer to use pork)150 grams of white rice1 jar of approximately 50 preserved vine/grape leaves (I prefer to soak the leaves in warm water for an hour beforehand to get rid of the strong smell of the vine leaves) 1 brown onion finely chopped3 garlic cloves finely chopped1 carrot finely chopped1 handful of finely chopped leak (optional)1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley1 tablespoon of red paprikaVegeta, salt and pepper to taste
Method 1. Combine the chopped onion, garlic, carrot and leak in a pan and fry in Olive Oil until onion is soft and clear

2. Add the minced meat, parsley, Vegeta, salt and pepper, and fry until the meat is cooked. Stir in rice and add paprika

3. Depending on the size of each vine…

My son took his first steps last week so his very proud mummy made these yummy footprint cookies to celebrate! They were so quick and easy, and are perfect for baking with the kids. My recipe will make roughly 15 to 20 medium-sized cookies.

Ingredients:

185gm unsalted butter3/4 cup of caster sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 whole egg2 cups of plain flour

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line baking tray with baking paperUsing an electric mixer, beat melted butter, sugar and vanilla until creamyAdd egg and combine with ingredients using electric mixerStir in flour and combine using a wooden spoonRoll a small ball of dough onto baking tray and flatten to desired thickness (my cookies are less than 1cm thick)Press cookie cutter on to flattened dough, and remove edges of dough around cutterRemove cutter and repeat process (make sure cookies are at least 5cm apart on baking tray)Bake cookies for 10 minutes or until slightly brownAllow to cool before removing from trayDecorate wi…

This recipe is for a traditional baked cheese dish, which is usually served as an appetiser with bread or bread sticks. I have not included the recipe for the bread sticks; however, a much easier option is to use grilled or toasted Turkish Bread. For a crunchier alternative, you can toast or grill normal sandwich wraps. Just drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle on some sesame seeds and pop in the oven until crunchy!
Please note, this recipe works best using a clay baking dish or pot.
Ingredients: 250gm crumbed Danish Feta cheese200gm Mozzarella cheeseA handful of chopped mushroomsOptional: handful of chopped ham or baconKetchup 1 tablespoon of OreganoOlive Oil

Method:
Evenly spread the crumbed Feta on the bottom of the oiled baking dish Drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle Oregano over the FetaSquirt desired amount of Ketchup over the cheese and Oregano (just enough to cover)Arrange chopped mushrooms (and ham) on top of the cheese, and pop in the oven for about 5-10 minutes at 180 degre…

Image from http://www.monastiriaka.gr/ With the Sveti Nikola slava approaching on the 19th December, I thought it would be handy to share my simple recipe for holy bread AKA 'Prosphoron' or 'Nafora'.This bread is neither made with nor baked with any fat or oil, and is also offered at the DivineLiturgy (church on Sunday morning).
Ingredients: 1 packet of active dry yeast1 teaspoon of white sugar2 1/2 cups of warm water6 cups of plain flour1 tablespoon of saltProsphora seal (optional)
Method:
1. Sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup warm water. Add a teaspoon of sugar and stir until dissolved. Leave to rise.
2. Combine 5 1/2 cups of flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
3. Pour in yeast and remaining warm water. Optional: add a few drops of holy water. Combine well.
4. Sprinkle remaining flour over your work area and knead dough for 10 minutes, adding as little additional flour as possible to the board. Dough should be soft but not too sticky.

5. Put dough into a la…

This recipe is a healthier alternative to the traditional Macedonian Kifli recipe. I will also incorporate the original recipe into my post. My recipe uses Organic Spelt flour, but you can substitute this with any flour of choice, including Quinoa Flour, Wholemeal flour, or a combination of different flour alternatives. Please keep in mind that some flours need to be proportioned with an equal amount of plain flour, as it may be harder to knead the dough. I chose Spelt flour as it is significantly richer in nutrients, proteins and minerals, and is much easier to digest than plain flour.
Ingredients:
Approximately 1kg of Organic Spelt Flour (or plain flour)Additional flour for kneading500ml of Buttermilk (or full cream milk)2 small cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or vegetable oil)1 packet of Dry Yeast1 tablespoon of Sea Salt (or table salt)1 stick of Organic Natural Stevia Sweetener (or 1 tablespoon of white sugar)3 Organic Free Range Eggs1 tablespoon of Baking Powder100g ricotta cheese …