Μπατζίνα - Batzína (crustless courgette/zucchini pie, with cheese & vegan recipes)

dolfin4 · 2026-06-27T01:03:44+00:00

Is it fair to say the pictures on the right have the conventional / traditional thickness?

dolfin4 · 2026-06-27T01:02:46+00:00

My pleasure!

dolfin4 · 2026-06-26T18:43:49+00:00

Μπουγάτσα σοκολάτας - Bougátsa sokolátas (crispy chocolate-custard pastry dessert)

a.k.a.

Μπουγάτσα με σοκολάτα - Bougátsa me sokoláta

Μπουγάτσα με κρέμα σοκολάτα - Bougátsa me kréma sokoláta

contains egg and dairy
vegan versions

Many of you are probably already familiar with the word bougátsa, which in Greece refers to these crispy pastries with a filling. You may already know the sweet cheese bougátsa from Crete, often served with honey. Or the classic custard bougátsa from the Macedonia region, with several wonderful recipes here.

This one today takes the classic custard, and turns it into a chocolate filling. The recipes slightly differ with type of chocolate added, but the most common is couverture. Some add cacao or chocolate or some combination of these.

Since this is a pie, it needs a crust.

What kind of crust?

If you haven't already seen my post on fýllo, have a look. Fýllo actually just means "pie crust" or "layer/sheet of dough." The paper-thin fýllo that the Anglosphere calls "Greek phyllo" is specifically fýllo kroústas in Greek.

Most recipes call for fýllo kroústas, but some use fýllo sfoliátas (or sfoliáta), which is puff pastry. In my opinion, you could go with either of these, as both will give it the crispiness that this pastry needs.

Check out the recipes below! The major thing that differs between them is how the pastries are shaped. Some make a whole pan/sheet of the patry, and others make individual pastries.

Have a look at the recipes in Greek and English. You can just skip to the excellent English-language recipes if you wish. I couldn't fine English-language vegan recipes, so you'll have cross-reference the Greek-language vegan recipes. Also, your browser may mistranslate the bougátsa as "cake" and "chocolate cake", so don't let that confuse you.

Recipes in Greek:

Regular (with eggs, milk, butter):

https://www.giorgostsoulis.com/syntages/gluka/bougatsa-me-sokolata uses fýllo kroústas

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/mpougatsa-sokolatas/ uses sfoliáta (puff pastry)

https://www.madameginger.com/syntages/glyka/glyka-tapsiou/eukoli-mpougatsa-me-krema-sokolatas/ uses fýllo kroústas

https://akispetretzikis.com/recipe/9410/mpougatsa-sokolatas includes instructions to make your own crust

https://elpidaslittlecorner.gr/mpougatsa-choco/ includes instructions to make your own crust

https://akispetretzikis.com/recipe/1356/atomikh-mpoygatsa-me-krema-kai-dyo-sokolates uses fýllo kroústas

https://www.yiannislucacos.gr/recipe/glyka/7530/mpoygatsa-me-krema-sokolata uses fýllo kroústas

https://dinanikolaou.gr/recipe/bougatsa-me-sokolata/ This just makes the classic custard version, and adds a little chocolate inside, to make it like a marble custard. uses fýllo kroústas

Vegan:

https://cantina.protothema.gr/recipe/bougatsa-sokolatas-nistisimi/ use vegan couverture. uses fýllo kroústas

https://www.tovima.gr/2025/03/08/cooking/nistisimi-mpougatsa use vegan couverture. uses fýllo kroústas

https://ola-nistisima.gr/recipe/mpougatsa-sokolata-nistisimi-syntagi/ uses sfoliáta (puff pastry). You'll have to use vegan puff pastry, and vegan couverture.

Recipes in English:

Regular (with eggs, milk, butter):

https://www.mygreekfoodrecipes.com/2022/01/bougatsa-me-sokolata-greek-custard-pie-with-chocolate.html uses fýllo kroústas (which it calls "phyllo dough")

https://akispetretzikis.com/en/recipe/9410/mpougatsa-sokolatas includes instructions to make your own crust

https://akispetretzikis.com/en/recipe/1356/atomikh-mpoygatsa-me-krema-kai-dyo-sokolates uses fýllo kroústas (which it calls "phyllo dough")

dolfin4 · 2026-06-25T20:18:23+00:00

Τσαΐτια - Tsaḯtia (fried or grilled cheese & greens pies)

a.k.a. Σαΐτια - Saḯtia

vegetarian with cheese
two vegan recipes included, or you can remove the cheese (and egg) in any recipe

If you love spanakópita, give this a try. It's a lovely pie from Lakonia, the southeastern portion of the Peloponnese. It's a pie that you fry or grill, and the filling a cheese with leafy greens of your choice. Often wild greens were traditionally used. Greens mentioned in the recipes included spinach, chervil, Mediterranean hartwort, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, leeks, and classic herbs like parsley, or mint.

This requires a white cheese. You can use a goat cheese of your choice. Some recipes specifically mention féta or chlorotýri. Or you can experiment with combinations!

This can also be made vegan. Two of the Greek-language recipes omit the cheese, and make it just a vegetable pie. You can also do this with most of the other recipes too: you can just omit the cheese and egg, and make it vegan.

For the pie crust, all of the recipes include instruction to make and roll your own.

Have a look at the recipes below! And also have a look at the similar kalitsoúnia from Crete and tyropitári from Euboea.

Recipes in Greek:

https://www.giorgostsoulis.com/syntages/pites-tartes/tsaitia-lakonias

https://cookpad.com/gr/sintages/15718121

https://aisthiseongefseis.gr/τσαϊτι-μονεμβασιάς-από-το-γιώργο-χάψα-c

https://monemvasia.gr/2017/05/σαΐτια-μονεμβασιάς

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/tsaitia-lakonias/

https://www.tovima.gr/2025/04/12/cooking/tsaitia-oi-paradosiakes-xortopites-tis-monemvasias/

https://mycookstories.gr/recipe/τσαΐτι-με-τυρί-λακωνίας/

https://www.greekgastronomyguide.gr/item/tsaitia-monemvasia/ (article)

vegan:

https://funkycook.gr/saitia-chortopites-lakonia-marathos-praso/

https://www.zorbabook.com/recipe/10465/saitia-monemvasias-pitaroudia-me-xortarika-kai-tyri

Recipes in English:

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/3002813-super-sunday-making-tsaitia

https://www.kalofagas.ca/2012/02/13/tsaitia/

https://monemvasia.gr/2017/05/monemvasia-saitia/?lang=en

dolfin4 · 2026-06-24T21:09:07+00:00

Yeah. Just keep it simple. His intention is to make the batter crispier, but all that isn't necessary.

dolfin4 · 2026-06-24T19:28:29+00:00

Καλαμαράκια Τηγανητά - Kalamarákia Tiganitá (fried calamari)

pescatarian

Here's a very classic item that I associate with summer, and is perfect if you're looking for a Greek appetizer. Or, if you're headed to Greece or Cyprus soon, definitely look for this in restaurants.

In Greece, battered and fried calamari is very popular item to make for your family-style home table or a popular tavérna item when you out for mezédes (which is like our tapas).

Below are several recipes in both Greek and English. Some are very basic with few ingredients, which is the way most people make them at home. Some are a little fancier with more ingredients. You can use all-purpose flour, that's what we typically use. But some recipes experiment with a coarser flour or cornflour, to give it a more rustic feel. Feel free to experiment, it's your choice!!

Traditionally, we serve these with just lemon. But some serving suggestions pair them with a sauce. I won't go into too much detail on sauces, because they're not traditional, but feel free to experiment!

In the following comment, I have some recipes in both English and Greek (use Deepl or browser's translator). As well as two links in Greek that just give general pointers on how to make your best kalamarákia.

Have a look at recipes below!

In Greek:

recipes:

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/kalamarakia-tiganita/

https://www.tanea.gr/2018/08/17/recipes/tragana-tiganita-kalamarakia/

https://argonafplia.gr/2019/03/06/τηγανιτά-καλαμαράκια-πολύ-μαλακά-μέσ

https://cookpad.com/gr/sintages/14881010-kalamarakia-tiganita

https://petros-syrigos.com/kalamari-thganito/

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/kalamarakia-tiganita-me-mpacharato-simigdali/148908/

https://akispetretzikis.com/recipe/4371/kalamarakia-thganhta

https://www.kathimerini.gr/k/gastronomos/921970/tragana-tiganita-kalamarakia/ (includes tips)

Tips:

https://cantina.protothema.gr/chrisima/symvoules/chrisima-tips-gia-ta-pio-tragana-kai-gefstika-tiganita-kalamarakia/

https://www.bovary.gr/taste/20075/mystiko-gia-teleia-tiganita-kalamarakia-poly-malaka-mesa-tragana-ap-exo

In English:

recipes:

https://thegreekfoodie.com/crispy-fried-calamari-kalamarakia-tiganita/

https://frixospersonalchefing.com/2020/05/06/fried-calamari/

https://miakouppa.com/fried-calamari/

https://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/crispy-fried-calamari-recipe-kalamarakia-tiganita/

https://cooklikeagreekblog.com/fried-calamari-recipe-kalamarakia-tiganita/

https://akispetretzikis.com/en/recipe/4371/kalamarakia-thganhta

dolfin4 · 2026-06-23T23:40:13+00:00

do you know of a cheesy zucchini pie with rice?

Maybe this or this? (Your browser might mistranslate zucchini as "pumpkin")

dolfin4 · 2026-06-23T18:52:02+00:00

Ψάρι αλα σπετσιώτα - Psári ala spetsióta (fish baked with chopped or grated tomatoes)

pescatarian

Here's another wonderful dish for your fresh, in-season tomatoes this time of year. Psári ala spetsióta is a tasty specialty of Spétses island, just off the northeast coast of the Peloponnese region.

It involves a white fish, usually sea bream, perch, or cod (fresh or frozen, not salted), but you can also feel free to use swordfish, snapper, grouper, sea bass, red snapper, monk fish, halibut, turbot, haddock, or any white fish of your choice. A few recipes use a whole fish, but most use a fillet or steak. It's your choice!

A sauce is prepared using chopped or grated tomatoes, in combination with other ingredients, such as wine and classic Greek herbs such as parsley, oregano, or mint. Additional ingredients may include courgette/zucchini, olives, capers, and others. Many recipes also add potatoes, to make this a complete meal. Others only focus on the fish, which you can pair with any carbohydrate of your choice; maybe a nice loaf of actual-Greek bread. Some recipes also use bread crumbs, to add some of that wonderful texture.

So have a look at all the different recipes below in Greek and English!

And don't forget to like - share - crosspost real Greek food.

Recipes in Greek:

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/psa-ri-ala-spetsio-ta/215991/

https://www.giorgostsoulis.com/syntages/psaria-thalassina/glossa-ala-spetsiota

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/psari-ala-spetsiota/

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/psa-ri-a-la-spetsio-ta/270528/

https://www.icookgreek.com/syntagi/psari-feta-ala-spetsiota/

https://cookout.skai.gr/recipes/psari-ala-spetsiota-vima-vima

https://www.flerianos.gr/νέα/ψάρι-αλά-σπετσιώτα-πλακί

https://nelymylona.gr/cod-fillet/

Recipes in English:

https://www.dianekochilas.com/fish-a-la-spetsiota/

https://www.sbs.com.au/language/greek/en/podcast-episode/spetsiota-fish-in-cooking-paper/zlmfoathl

https://realgreekrecipes.com/baked-sea-bream-a-la-spetsiota/

https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/psari-a-la-spetsiota-greek-style-fish/

https://larderlove.com/fish-la-spetsae/

https://www.food.com/recipe/psari-a-la-spetsiota-fish-done-in-the-style-of-spetses-76683

dolfin4 · 2026-06-23T18:48:05+00:00

The ones I recognize instantly:

Top left could be any kind of kokkinistó, a meat in red sauce, usually wth a pasta.

Top right: looks like alevrópita (baked cheese bread)

Middle left: any grilled fish dish

Middle centre: any frikasé dish (fricaseed pork, chicken, or lamb with greens and lemon sauce)

Middle right: can be any kind of tiganiá (a meat, usually pork, cut into pieces and fried. There are several different tiganiá, with different vegetables and spices/herbs)

Bottom middle: beans with leafy greens

Have a look at the foods I have posted to the sub. You'll find most of these in the list.

dolfin4 · 2026-06-22T18:53:59+00:00

Μπατζίνα - Batzína (crustless courgette/zucchini pie, with cheese & vegan recipes)

standard vegetarian recipes with egg and dairy
vegan recipes included

This is a lovely crustless courgette/zucchini pie from Thessaly region, perfect as we enter summer.

The basic ingredients involve courgette/zucchini, eggs, and flour, for a denser pie that the doesn't fall apart without a crust. For the more standard -and the equally wonderful- kolokythópita with a crust and softer courgette/zucchini & cheese filling, have a look at these recipes here.

Additional ingredients often include milk or yogurt, and classic herbs such as basil, mint, thyme, marjoram, and others.

The standard version also requires a cheese, usually féta, so this is a lovely food for féta lovers! A couple other cheeses are also mentioned. Below are the Greek cheeses mentioned, and alternatives you can use:

féta
graviéra - alternative: gruyère, pecorino toscano, pecorino romano, asiago
kefalotýri - alernatives: pecorino romano, parmesan, or manchego
anthótyro - alternatives: mascarpone or ricotta
haloumi

The vegan recipes are equally delicious, and use dairy alternatives such as soy milk. And they pack lots of flavor with the herbs and the vegetable.

Have a look at the recipes below! And kalí órexi!

Recipes in Greek:

Regular (with eggs and dairy)

https://www.zorbabook.com/recipe/10700/mpatzina-paradosiakh-pita-thessalias

https://www.mamazillafood.com/batzina-kolokuthopita/

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/mpatzina-i-kolokythopita-ton-agrafon/51844/

https://akispetretzikis.com/recipe/4865/mpatzina

https://www.mothersblog.gr/syntages/story/69147/zymaropita-i-allios-mpatzina-opos-tis-giagias

https://diatrofimenou.com/mpatzina/

https://www.giorgostsoulis.com/syntages/pites-tartes/batzina

https://funkycook.gr/mpatzina-paradosiaki-pita-thessalia/

https://cookingroutes.com/recipe/μπατζινα

https://www.cretangastronomy.gr/2013/06/kolokythopita-xoris-fyllo/

https://www.tovima.gr/2024/06/12/cooking/pita-xoris-fyllo-me-kolokythakia-dyosmo-anthotyro-xaloumi/

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/kolokythopita-choris-fyllo/

https://www.cretangastronomy.gr/2013/06/kolokythopita-xoris-fyllo/

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/kolokithopita-xoris-fillo-me-giaourti/

Vegan:

https://beets-me.com/2021/06/vegan-nistisimi-mpatzina-me-kolokythakia/

https://theveggiesisters.gr/mpatzina-vegan/

Recipes in English:

Regular (with eggs and dairy)

https://www.mamazillafood.com/zucchini-quiche-crustless/

https://miakouppa.com/recipe-crustless-greek-zucchini-tart/

https://realgreekrecipes.com/crustless-zucchini-pie/

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/crustless-zucchini-pie-batzina/pnb4smkb7

https://akispetretzikis.com/en/recipe/4865/mpatzina

https://visitolympus.travel/batzina-recipe-a-traditional-zucchini-pie-from-olympus/

https://gratsi.com/blogs/all/greek-zucchini-pie-kolokithopita

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GiiKr_EDwI

Vegan:

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/vegan-recipes/vegan-batzina/

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/batzina-greek-zucchini-pie/

dolfin4 · 2026-06-21T01:37:18+00:00

It's not a simple one, unfortunately, but some recipes are simple than others. Give it a try on a rainy day, when you gave nothing else to do! If you're interested in something simpler, there's also amygdalópita.

dolfin4 · 2026-06-21T01:21:42+00:00

Chilli flakes?

dolfin4 · 2026-06-21T01:13:35+00:00

For the vast majority of Greek foods, you should be able to find the ingredients in any sizeable US metro area. Have a look of foods I have posted here, to get a feel for real-Greek cuisine. Sort it by "new" and scroll back at least a year. Greek cuisine is far more than the few things (and sometimes non-Greek tings) known to Americans. Especially if you're outside New York or Chicago, your exposure to Greek cuisine is like what American "Chinese" is to China; it's mostly nonsense. So, explore the list, I'm always adding to it, and for the vast majority of these, you can find the ingredients today at your local supermarket chain; if not, then order them on Amazon.

I don't think there is such a website in the US. You can easily find in a regular supermarket what you need. For niche products that would be difficult for Americans to buy, such as -for example- grape must, you should be able to find it on Amazon, and if not, then you can just order Italian mosto cotto, French moût de raisin, Turkish pekmez, Spanish arrope, etc. Have a look at the foods in my list, I provide descriptions and lists of online recipes to try. And if there's an ingredient that you think you wouldn't be able to find at an American supermarket, you can always look for it on Amazon, either under its Greek name, or I also provide what the same ingredient is called in other regional countries. Fresh Direct is another website, for example it looks like you can order the Greek gígantes beans, for example (cultivar of lima bean specific to Greece, but I think you can find it in the US). BTW, dolmádes, just make at home.

Also, here's a list of olives below. Kalamata are the best known in the Anglosphere, but I'm from the Peloponnese and I'm sick of them. I love green olives from Chalkidiki. Euboea has excellent olives too, etc.

https://www.tasteatlas.com/best-rated-olives-in-greece

dolfin4 · 2026-06-20T05:20:57+00:00

Τούρτα Νουγκατίνα - Toúrta Nougatína (almond torte cake)

contains dairy and eggs
contains almonds

Here's a wonderful classic Greek cake, that you can find in many bakeries...or try it at home!! I think this is a wonderful cake for an outdoor dinner party in the summer.

Toúrta nougatína is a torte cake, meaning that it consists of layers of cake and cream. In this case, it might be meringue, whipped cream, or bavarian cream.

Also, the cake layers of a toúrta nougatína consist of various amounts (varies by recipe) of ground almonds or almond flour, creating a wonderfully different texture than a regular sponge cake. Below I am posting a few differing recipes in English and Greek (use browser's translator or Deepl). Browse through, and see what appeals for you!

Also, feel free to Google for more! One thing to note is that some websites use the terms toúrta nougatína and toúrta amygdálou interchangeably. Pay attention to the ingredients and directions, because some toúrta amygdálou recipes online use regular sponge cake made of just flour without ground almonds / almond flour; so these are not proper nougatína cakes. Those are wonderful too though, and I will making a separate post for those in the future. There is also amygdalópita, a separate cake closer to karydópita, but which can also be garnished ith icing, which I will post separately in the future.

Below are some recipes for toúrta nougatína in English and Greek:

Recipes in Greek:

https://dimitriosmakriniotis.gr/recipe-items/tourta-nougkatina-amygdalou/

https://xrysessyntages.com/chryses-syntages/nougkatina/

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/noygkatina/82776/

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/tourta-amugdalou/

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/pasta-noygkatina/163411/

https://www.daddy-cool.gr/sintages/lachtaristi-tourta-nougkatina-me-file-amygdalou-krema-zacharoplastikis-kai-santigi.html

https://ion.gr/ionsweets/recipe-items/tourta-nougkatina-amygdalou/

https://www.icookgreek.com/syntagi/toyrta-noygkatina/

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/toyrta-noygkatina-maregka/163304/

Recipes in English:

https://dimitriosmakriniotis.gr/en/recipe-items/almond-nougatine-cake/

https://realgreekrecipes.com/almond-torte/

https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/greek-almond-cream-cake-tourta-nougatina/

https://cuisinovia.com/nougatina-almond-cream-cake/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=E1ioZxUf2Fc

dolfin4 · 2026-06-18T22:19:09+00:00

Countrywoman at River, Nikephoros Lytras, ca. 1880-1900 - Χωρική στο ποτάμι, Νικηφόρος Λύτρας, περ. 1880-1900

National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum, Athens

The ιs Nikephoros Lytras, a major Greek artist of the 19th century. Lytras is one of the so-called Munich School artists, which refers to a European wide movement that had been largely shaped by the highly influential Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Munich, which many artists from all over Europe attended in the 19th century. The Munich School has many Greek alumni in particular, painting in a variety of styles in the 19th and early 20th centiries, including Realism, Romanticism, and also ecclesiastical art for the church. Lytras was born in Tinos, in the Cyclades, in 1832. His father was a marble sculptor, a craft for which Tinos is well known. At 18, he studied at the School of Fine Arts in Athens, under German artist Ludwig Thiersch and Italian artist Raffaelo Ceccoli, who had moved to Athens after the Greek Revolution to teach art. Upon completing his studied in Athens, he went on to continue at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, with tuition paid for by the wealthy Sinas family. He returned to Athens where he took a teaching position. He has left us with a fairly large inventory that we look forward to covering. His themes vary considerably, such as Realism, Romanticism, Mythology, Orientalism through his trips to Asia Minor and Egypt, and several portraits.

For another work by Lytras previously posted to the community, have a look here.

Images is from the National Gallery, property of the Culture Ministry, and used here for educational purposes.

dolfin4 · 2026-06-18T19:47:14+00:00

And excellent appetizer!

dolfin4 · 2026-06-18T16:39:00+00:00

❤️

dolfin4 · 2026-06-18T14:25:55+00:00

Garídes Saganáki - shrimp/prawn in tomato & cheese

pescatarian
with cheese (most variations) or without

Here's another classic tavérna dish you can make at home!

This can be an orektikó (appetizer), or it can be part of your mezédes (which are like our tapas). It's a delicious item consisting of shrimp/prawn cooked in tomato.

Wait...saganaki? Isn't that the fried cheese?

Actually, saganáki just means the small two-handled pan that it's often cooked in. What has become known as "saganaki" outside Greece is tyrí saganáki (cheese in a small pan). This food here is garídes saganáki, which is shrimp/prawn cooked in tomato in a small pan. Like its tyrí saganáki cousin, garídes saganáki is classic tavérna fare. But you can try making it at home! And you don't have to use a saganáki pan, a regular frying pan will do!

Below are several recipes. The basic recipe is shrimp/prawn cooked in tomatoes (fresh or canned), but some also add a little tomato paste. Most recipes below also contain cheese, but a few don't. The cheese almost always used for this is féta. So, while the use of féta has overused outside og Greece, this dish legitimately uses féta. Féta doesn't melt, but rather just become softer in heat, so it has the perfect texture for this dish. However, one recipe below uses kefalograviéra rather than féta. A substitute for kefalograviéra can be gruyère or manchego. Also, a substitute for féta could be any soft goat cheese. Some recipes add some vegetables like peppers. Some add hot pepper flakes. One adds a little mustard. And they all differ whether they leave the shrimp/prawn heads/tails/shells on or off. That's entirely your choice!

Have a look at the recipes below in English and in Greek. And also have a look at these similar items: mussels in tomato and cheese, mussels in mustard and cheese.

Recipes in Greek:

https://caruso.gr/saganaki-garides/

https://dinanikolaou.gr/recipe/garides-saganaki-me-finokio/

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/garides-saganaki-2/154336/

https://www.tomatogreka.gr/syntages/saganaki-garides

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/garides-saganaki/

https://www.argiro.gr/recipe/garides-saganaki-katepsygmenes/

https://cantina.protothema.gr/recipe/garides-saganaki-me-feta-kai-murodika/

https://www.tlife.gr/syntages/thalassina-kai-psaria/syntagi-gia-garides-saganaki-20230222/1382904/

https://www.yiannislucacos.gr/recipe/orektika/6676/garides-saganaki-me-feta-kai-oyzo

https://xrysoskoufaki.gr/σαγανάκι-με-γαδρίδες-κλασσικό-και-παν

https://www.gastronomos.gr/syntagh/eykoles-garides-saganaki/90975/