📝 Ingredients:

• 3 large eggplants, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 700g ground lamb or beef
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 400g canned tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• For béchamel: 100g butter, 100g flour, 1L milk
• 2 eggs
• 150g Parmesan cheese, grated
• Olive oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Salt eggplant slices, let drain 30 minutes
2. Brush eggplant with olive oil, roast at 400°F until golden
3. Sauté onions and garlic until soft
4. Add ground meat, brown well
5. Add tomatoes, wine, cinnamon, simmer 30 minutes
6. Make béchamel: melt butter, whisk in flour, add milk
7. Remove from heat, whisk in eggs and cheese
8. Layer eggplant, meat sauce, repeat
9. Top with béchamel, sprinkle with extra cheese
10. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until golden

📝 Ingredients:

• 400g Spanish bomba or arborio rice
• 8 chicken thighs
• 300g shrimp, peeled
• 200g mussels, cleaned
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup green beans
• 4 tomatoes, grated
• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 1 liter chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Olive oil, paprika, lemon wedges

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Steep saffron in warm stock
2. In paella pan, brown chicken in olive oil
3. Add garlic, peppers, green beans, sauté
4. Stir in grated tomatoes and paprika
5. Add rice, stir to coat with oil
6. Pour in wine, let evaporate
7. Add saffron stock, arrange ingredients evenly
8. Cook on high heat 10 minutes, then low heat 10 minutes
9. Add shrimp and mussels, cook 5 more minutes
10. Let rest 5 minutes, serve with lemon wedges

📝 Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup fresh parsley
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 tbsp flour
• Oil for frying
• For tahini sauce: tahini, lemon, garlic
• Pita bread, tomatoes, cucumbers

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Drain soaked chickpeas thoroughly (don't cook them)
2. Pulse chickpeas in food processor until crumbly
3. Add onion, garlic, herbs, spices, pulse until combined
4. Transfer to bowl, add baking powder and flour
5. Mix well, refrigerate 1 hour
6. Form mixture into small balls or patties
7. Heat oil to 350°F for frying
8. Fry falafel in batches until golden brown
9. Make tahini sauce: mix tahini, lemon juice, garlic, water
10. Serve in pita with veggies and tahini sauce

📝 Ingredients:

• 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 English cucumber, sliced thick
• 1 red onion, sliced thin
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into rings
• 200g Kalamata olives
• 200g feta cheese, in one block
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh oregano for garnish

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Cut tomatoes into large wedges
2. Slice cucumber into thick half-moons
3. Slice onion thinly, soak in cold water 5 minutes
4. Cut pepper into rings
5. Arrange vegetables in a large bowl
6. Top with Kalamata olives
7. Place feta block on top (traditional style)
8. Drizzle generously with olive oil
9. Sprinkle with red wine vinegar and oregano
10. Season with salt and pepper, serve immediately

📝 Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs
• 800g canned whole tomatoes
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 100g feta cheese, crumbled
• Fresh parsley and cilantro
• Olive oil
• Crusty bread for serving

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in large skillet
2. Sauté onions until soft, about 5 minutes
3. Add bell peppers and garlic, cook 5 minutes
4. Stir in cumin, paprika, and cayenne
5. Add tomatoes, break up with spoon
6. Simmer sauce 15 minutes until thickened
7. Make 6 wells in sauce with spoon
8. Crack an egg into each well
9. Cover, cook 8-10 minutes until eggs set
10. Top with feta and herbs, serve with bread

📝 Ingredients:

• 1 package phyllo dough (16 oz)
• 1 kg fresh spinach or 600g frozen
• 300g feta cheese, crumbled
• 200g ricotta cheese
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 150g butter, melted
• Salt and pepper

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Sauté onions until translucent
2. Wilt spinach, squeeze out all excess water
3. Chop spinach finely
4. Mix spinach, feta, ricotta, green onions, dill, eggs
5. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper
6. Brush baking pan with melted butter
7. Layer 8 phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter
8. Spread spinach filling evenly
9. Top with 8 more phyllo sheets, butter each layer
10. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until golden

📝 Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, 400g)
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 3 cloves garlic
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt to taste
• For topping: paprika, olive oil
• Pine nuts, parsley
• Pita bread for serving

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse
2. Optional: peel chickpeas for extra smooth hummus
3. Blend tahini and lemon juice for 1 minute
4. Add garlic, cumin, and salt, blend
5. Add half the chickpeas, blend until smooth
6. Add remaining chickpeas, blend
7. While blending, slowly add ice water until creamy
8. Blend in olive oil
9. Spread on plate, make swirl pattern
10. Top with olive oil, paprika, pine nuts, serve with pita

📝 Ingredients:

• 1 package phyllo dough (16 oz)
• 400g walnuts, finely chopped
• 200g pistachios, finely chopped
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 200g butter, melted
• For syrup: 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Mix walnuts, pistachios, and cinnamon
2. Brush baking pan with butter
3. Layer 8 phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter
4. Sprinkle with 1/3 of nut mixture
5. Add 4 phyllo sheets with butter, nuts, repeat
6. Top with 8 phyllo sheets, butter each
7. Cut into diamond shapes before baking
8. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes until golden
9. Make syrup: boil sugar, water, honey, cinnamon
10. Pour hot syrup over hot baklava, let absorb overnight