Famous Cretan Food!

• 1 kilo flour (2.2 lbs)
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1/2 cup cognac
• 8 to 10 eggs
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 tbsps grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tbsp baking powder

Beat the yokes with the sugar and work in the oil and the orange rind. Dissolve the soda in the orange juice and add this. Beat the whites of the eggs; add half the flour, half the cognac with the baking powder diluted in it and half the egg whites. When this has amalgamated, work in the second half of the ingredients. Empty the mixture into an oiled baking tin and bake in a preheated moderate oven for about an hour.

The DOUGH:

• 2 cups olive oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup cognac or raki
• 1 tbsp grated orange zest
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2kilos flour (1 kilo = 2.2lbs)

The FILLING:

• 1 kilo roughly ground raisins (2.2lbs)
• 2 cups roughly ground walnuts and almonds
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 tbsps clove and cinnamon powder

Prepare the DOUGH: Beat together olive oil and sugar and add zest, baking powder dissolved in cognac and baking soda dissolved in orange juice, beating constantly. Gradually add flour to the liquids until you have soft and elastic dough. Mix the ingredients thoroughly for the filling. Take pieces of dough the size of a walnut and in the middle open a well to put in a little filling. Roll the dough in your hands so as to get the filling to spread inside and shape oblong.

• 1 1/2 cups olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups white wine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tbsp clove and cinnamon powder
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 kilos flour (each kilo= 2.2lbs)
• 2 cups sesame seeds

Beat the sugar with the olive oil and continue with the baking powder dissolved in the wine, the soda dissolved in the orange juice, with the clove and the cinnamon. Gradually add flour to the liquids and knead untilvery soft and malleable dough.

Shape the rings as above, sprinkle them with sesame seeds and bake in moderate oven for 15-20 minutes.

• 1 kilo boneless lamb cut into cubes
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 kilo spinach, chopped coarsely (1.1 lbs)
• 1 leek cut into rounds
• 3 finely chopped spring onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dill
• the juice of 2 lemons
• 1 cup dried fruit (prunes, apricots or plums)
• salt, pepper

Heat half olive oil in a large skillet and sauté` onion and meat until brown on all sides. Cover with water and cook for about one hour. Heat remaining olive oil in another skillet and sauté` leek and fresh onions for 3 minutes. Add spinach and sauté` for another 10 minutes. Mix with the meat, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice and cook for another 10-15 minutes. Add dill and fruit 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Serve with rice pilaf.

• 1 kilo potatoes (2.2lbs)
• 1/2 cup olive oil 2 coarsely chopped onions
• 1 leek cut into rounds
• 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 1/2 kilo finely chopped tomatoes (1 lbs)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of parsley
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind salt, pepper

Peel potatoes and cut in cubes. Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté` onion, leek, garlic, potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, orange rind and oregano. Stir carefully 2-3 times, pour in tomato, salt, pepper and water to cover everything and simmer until the sauce thickens. Serve potatoes sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.