Greek food lovers get ready! The "Yiasou Greek Festival" is right around the corner!
Joining us today was our good friend Chef Jill Aker-Ray and the Communications Director from Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral John Shelton, the two stopped by to get us ready for the delicious food and all the fun at the festival!
“Food is the main attraction at the Yiasou Festival” says Shelton. Greek cuisine dates back thousands of years and is part of the history and culture of Greece. Mediterranean foods are not only delicious but are known to be part of a healthy lifestyle. Fresh vegetables, olive oil, grains, fish, wine, cheese, and meat – lamb, chicken and pork are commonly used in Greek cooking. Desserts are mostly made of nuts, honey, fruits, and phyllo pastry. We want to highlight two delicious dishes that will be featured at the festival they are Spanikopita and Bakalava” says Chef Jill. She adds “ these delicious dishes are a big hit at the festival every year.” But it’s not just the food, there are so many other things that contribute to the success of the festival celebrating its' 45th years! From dance performances and live music to shopping, cultural events, and a kids’ playland, the Yiasou Greek Festival has something for each member of the family. Live entertainment is the centerpiece of the festival; listen to nationally known Greek bands; view dance performances and cultural reenactments from members of the Greek community; attend our lectures and learn about Greek history. The festival is loaded with fun for the whole family. For children, we have a large playland complete with rides, activities and cotton candy. Your older children will love the cultural displays and opportunity to interact with the Spartan warriors. In addition to celebrating the festival's 45th year, the Cathedral is celebrating 100 years!
The Festival is September 8th – 10th, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 600 East Boulevard, Charlotte NC.
Admission is $5
FREE for Children Under 12
Friday: 11am – 10pm
Saturday: 11am – 10pm
Sunday: 11am – 6pm
For more information visit YiasouFestival.org
Here are Chef Jill's recipes:
Spanikopita Cups
Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
4 green onions thinly sliced
10 oz frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup ricotta
1 large egg beaten
2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 oz feta crumbled
30 phyllo shells
Instructions:
Prepare and measure out all ingredients.
Turn oven on to 350° F.
Defrost the frozen spinach and squeeze out all the excess water.
Add extra virgin olive oil to a skillet under medium heat. Add minced garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. Add chopped green onions and quickly stir to incorporate all the garlic and olive oil. Remove from heat.
Add spinach, garlic and onion mixture, ricotta cheese, beaten egg, chopped parsley, chopped dill, sea salt, ground black pepper, ground nutmeg into a bowl and mix well to incorporate all ingredients.
Add crumbled feta to spinach mixture. Gently fold in crumbled feta cheese to spinach mixture.
Arrange phyllo cups on a baking sheet. Add spinach mixture into phyllo cups. Place in the center rack of oven and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Bakalava Cups
Ingredients
• 1 (15-count) package mini phyllo cups
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds, pecans, or I used a mixture)
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/4 cup honey, plus more for serving
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place phyllo cups on a baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, stir together chopped nuts, melted butter, honey, cinnamon and salt until evenly combined. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the nut mixture into each phyllo cup until they are filled.
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until the nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted but not burned. Remove and drizzle with extra honey before serving. Serve immediately
Follow Chef Jill Aker-Ray for more tasty recipes: chefjillakerray.com