Cooking with Koula Part II

I'm not sure why I'm mildly obsessed with boureki.

Perhaps it's because it's a very common dish over here, but one that I don't recall ever encountering in a Greek restaurant in the United States.

Maybe it's because Lisa and I had such a hard time finding it in the tavernas when she visited me in October.

Or maybe it's because there are so many different regional and even family variations on it.

Well, whatever the case, I had my best example of it so far at this Saturday's cooking class.


Romaine and green onions from Koula's garden, for our salad.







Koula chopping up the zuchinni for the bourkei. I will definitely have to invest in one of these slicers once I'm back in the States, it makes for a much quicker and more even slicing experience. Koula was nice enough to offer me an extra that she has, but I declined based on anticipated lack of space in my luggage for the trip home.


Rolling the dough into the pan. I swear I'm going to try dough again soon, she makes it look so easy.






The filling: a mixture of sliced zucchini, potatoes, mizithra cheese, pureed onion and tomato, parsley, mint, salt and a little bit of flour (added to the zuchinni and potatoes before the rest of the ingredients to help absorb their moisture - this is in addition to salting the zuchinni and letting it sit for a while).



And now we roll the top onto the pie. In most regions, this dish doesn't even involve dough - it's more a casserole than a pie. From what I understand, the pastry crust version is particular to Hania (although there may be other areas that utilize it of which I'm unaware). I definitely prefer it with the crust.



Cutting around the edges...and then into the oven for about an hour or so, depending upon the thickness of the center.






While we waited for the boureki to cook, Koula quickly whipped up a really tasty, nutritious garlic beet and yogurt dish, which can substitute sour cream for strained yogurt but I don't know why you would (the yogurt is so much better for you, and tastes every bit as good). Very simple but very good: fresh chopped beets, strained yogurt, finely chopped garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper.

Beets are one of my favorite veggies, and this recipe is so easy and enjoyable (not to mention pretty!) that I imagine I'll be making this often in the future.













Our meal was accompanied by a bottle of Trebianno from the Agia Triada monastery on the Akirotiri peninsula, which I hope to visit with Koula and Luella sometime before I leave.








I was happy to leave with some leftovers - a big piece of the boureki and an equally large piece of galaktoboureko, a custard-filled phyllo pastry which Koula served up with coffee upon our arrival. I'm pretty sure it was my first time for this dessert, and I liked it very much because although it was filling, it wasn't overly sweet and it made for a very satisfying breakfast, even though I don't usually like sweets first thing in the morning.

Another Saturday well-spent!!