Great entertaining ideas from Greece

Manu-Talor has two decades of culinary experience from the Reali School in Haifa. She began writing about her life and her family, and then slowly began adding recipes. This soon morphed into her current blog, Sweet Dooly. She quickly realized that dishes she’d been preparing for her family for years received great acclaim among her many followers. Manu-Talor is currently working on a cookbook that focuses on Greek desserts, and each recipe is accompanied by a personal story from her life experiences.

Below, I’ve brought you a few of her special recipes which are very easy and quick to prepare but can make a huge impression when served to guests.

Makes 6 to 8 servings 

 

20 yellow and red cherry tomatoes 

1 cup parsley, chopped 

1 Tbsp. mint, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, chopped, crushed or sliced thinly 

1 lime, chopped or sliced thinly 

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 

2 Tbsp. olive oil Kosher salt and pepper, to taste 

1 fresh baguette, sliced (can be toasted on a grill pan) 

1 to 2 Tbsp. pumpkin and sunflower seeds, fresh or roasted 

Olive oil 

Chop the tomatoes into halves or quarters and place them in a large bowl. Add the parsley, mint, garlic and lime, and mix. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Place a couple of spoonfuls of salad on each slice of toasted baguette and arrange them on a large serving dish. Sprinkle with seeds, drizzle with olive oil and add a little salt and pepper.

2 cans (300 gr.) tuna in oil 

2 hardboiled eggs, grated 

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste 

1 can (300 gr.) pickles in salt, drained and cut into thin strips 

2 to 3 peppers, roasted and pickled, cut into strips 

15 tortillas 

In a bowl, put tuna, eggs and mayonnaise and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Take one tortilla and place it on your work surface. Spread the tuna mixture in a thin layer over the tortilla. Place the pickle and pepper strips in the section closest to you. Begin rolling up the tortilla from the side closest to you. Make sure it stays tight throughout.

Continue to prepare the rest of the tortillas in the same fashion.

Cut the rolls into sections that are 1.5 cm. thick (makes about 6 pieces per tortilla). Arrange pieces on serving plate.

You can prepare in small cups which are perfect for entertaining.

1 container (250 ml.) sweet whipping cream 

200 gr. bittersweet chocolate 

50 gr. white chocolate, grated 

1 container (250 ml.) sweet whipping cream 

3 tsp. sugar 

100 gr. white chocolate, grated

Decoration: 

Thin black and white chocolate swirls 

To prepare the dark chocolate layer, place the cream and bittersweet chocolate in a small pot. Stir over a low flame until chocolate is completely melted. Cover and put in the fridge for four hours. Remove from the fridge and transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer. Whip until fluffy. Fold in the grated white chocolate.

To prepare the white chocolate layer, whip the cream with an electric mixer with the sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the grated white chocolate.

Transfer each of the creams to an icing bag. Fill cups first with a layer of dark chocolate and then on top a layer of white chocolate. Decorate with black and white swirls.

The dough is best prepared in an electric mixer with a dough hook on low speed.

3½ cups (500 gr.) flour, sifted 

1½ Tbsp. (25 gr.) dry yeast 

¹⁄3 cup (75 gr.) sugar Pinch of salt 

2 eggs 100 gr. butter, melted and warm 

¾ cup (150 ml.) milk at room temperature (water or almond milk can be substituted for a parve version) 

1 egg, beaten 

2 Tbsp. melted butter (can substitute margarine or coconut oil for a parve version) 

¾ cup brown sugar 

1 tsp. cinnamon 

50 gr. hazelnuts, ground 

Drizzle: 

½ cup sugar 

½ cup water 

½ vanilla stick 

Chocolate ganache: 

1 container (250 ml.) sweet whipping cream (can be parve) 

200 gr. bittersweet chocolate 

 

Place the flour, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix for 1 minute. Add the salt and mix for another few seconds.

While the mixer is working, add the rest of the ingredients: eggs, butter, and milk. Mix for at least 10 minutes on low until dough is mixed well. This is extremely important.

After the dough has been mixing around five minutes, turn off the mixer and push down the dough on the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing another five minutes.

Lightly grease the bowl and the dough, cover with plastic wrap and put aside to rise. If you have the time, let the dough rise overnight in your fridge. Otherwise, let it rise in a warm place for 90 minutes until it doubles in volume.

Cut the dough into two sections. Roll the first section into a thin square and spread the melted butter on top. Sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and hazelnuts on top. Roll the dough up into a long roll and then cut it into pieces that are 1 to 2 cm. thick.

Place the pieces on a baking tray that is covered with baking paper and let them rise again in a warm place for another 30 minutes. Brush on egg wash.

Heat your oven to 180º and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until dough has turned golden brown. Mix all the drizzle ingredients together and then drizzle over pieces right when they come out of the oven.

To prepare the chocolate ganache, pour the cream into a medium pot and heat over a medium flame. Add the chocolate and mix well. Pour the cream into a serving dish and place on table with pastries.

You can either freeze the rest of the dough, or use it to make a cinnamon roll. Roll out the dough and brush on melted butter. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and hazelnuts. Roll up, slice into pieces and place on a tray that has been covered with baking paper. Brush with egg wash and let rise for another 30 minutes. Bake in an oven than has been preheated for 30 minutes. When it comes out of oven, pour drizzle on top.