The protagonist of the Easter table may be the ‘ovelias’, but in reality, the festive spread is loaded with all sorts of goodies from mezethes to mains. Kokoretsi, dolmathes, saganaki, seafood, pites, koulourakia and tsoureki, are undoubtedly on the list, however, there are some added staples that make a huge difference for day long celebrations.

Magiritsa, spanakotyropita and the good old roast lamb shoulder with potatoes for those not indulging in ‘souvla’ on the day, are non-negotiables. To make sure that you don’t get overwhelmed, we put our favourite recipes together.

MAGIRITSA

Following the Anastasi church service at midnight on Holy Saturday, church-goers go either to their own home or that of a close relative or friend, to break the 40-day Lenten fast with a feast featuring the first dish containing meat, magiritsa. It’s a dish that sees camps divided – and squeamish for that matter – and not because it can’t be tasty (plenty of dill, lemon and olive oil is said to do the trick), but because of its contents.

Made with lamb offal, it includes everything from intestines, liver and heart, as well as the lamb’s head and neck, and is topped off with avgolemono (egg lemon sauce).

Traditionally the soup is prepared on the afternoon of Holy Saturday, ahead of the midnight church service. It is eaten under the pretence that it is the best meal to ease the digestive system back into eating animal foods again. Although it also had a practical side, as it was a way to use up all parts of the lamb, which is eaten on Easter Sunday, without leaving any waste behind.

Among the many recipes Dora Kitinas-Gogos passed down through her Neos Kosmos pieces, is one on how to prepare magiritsa without offal so everyone might enjoy the Easter soup tradition.

Ingredients:

4- 5 lamb shanks

500 grams chicken wings

2 large onions diced in big pieces

2 carrots diced in small pieces

2 sticks celery diced finely

1 bunch finely chopped parsley

2 bunches of finely chopped dill

Cold water

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 small bunch green shallots, trimmed and diced

Magiritsa without offal. Photo: Dora Kitinas Gogos/Neos Kosmos Archive

Method:

1. In a large saucepan place the lamb shanks and onions, put lots of water almost to the top leaving enough room so that water does not spill over

2. Bring to the boil, turn heat down to a simmer and allow to cook for 1 hour, regularly skimming the white residue (which is fat) created during the cooking process

3. Add the chicken wings and cook for another half hour continuing to skim the fat

4. Take off the heat, strain the stock in another large saucepan, in which you will continue to make the magiritsa

5. Put meat aside for now till its cool enough to handle

6. To the meat stock add the carrots, celery, parsley, and dill and allow to cook on medium heat.

7. While the vegetables are cooking return to the now cooled shanks and chicken wings, strip all the meat off discarding all bones and skin and cut into very small pieces

8. Add the cleaned meat into the stock with the vegetables, add salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 20 minutes

Ingredients for avgolemono (egg and lemon sauce)

NOTE: This recipe is for a large amount of soup

4 eggs separated

4 lemons squeezed and the pips taken out

Method:

NOTE: Its important that the directions for the avgolemono are flowed strictly otherwise the egg can curdle and you could end up with scrambled egg floating in your soup.

1. Beat the egg whites till they form peaks

2. Add the egg yolks and beat till blended well

3. Add the lemon juice gradually while beating

4. While the soup is still simmering take small amounts of very hot soup and add to the egg mixture gradually while beating constantly, do this till the bowl is full. This heats the egg mixture slowly before pouring it into the soup

5. Add the egg mixture into the soup stirring constantly while its simmering for at least 5 – 8 minutes till the avgolemono sauce becomes one with the soup

6. Serve with a dash of fresh diced shallots sprinkled on top

NOTE: If this is done carefully, the soup can be reheated the next day safely, without scrabbling the eggs.

Spanakopita with cheese. Photo: Neos Kosmos Archive

SPANAKOTYROPITA

This recipe is actually a combination of Greece’s most traditional pies, tyropita and spanakopita.

Ingredients:

450g spinach, thawed and chopped

1 sheet of shortcrust or puff pastry

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

150g haloumi cheese grated

120g feta, crumbled

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

2 eggs

1/4 cup thickened cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach.

3. Place the pastry sheet on a baking tray and spread the spinach in the middle, leaving a 3cm border.

4. Sprinkle the garlic over the spinach and pile the haloumi and feta on top.

5. Sprinkle with oregano and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6. Cut a short slit into each corner of the pastry sheet, then tuck each side of the pastry over to form a border around the filling.

7. Lightly beat the eggs with the cream and carefully pour the egg mixture over the spinach filling.

8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is set and non-watery.

Lamb shoulder. Photo: Mike Tinnion

HONEY GLAZED LAMB ROAST WITH POTATOES

A slow-cooked delicious leg of lamb with roast potatoes that melts in your mouth, the perfect dish for the Easter.

Ingredients:

1 leg of lamb shoulder (1.2 kg or more)

1.5 kg potatoes

4 cloves of garlic

Fresh rosemary

Salt and freshly ground pepper

100g mild mustard

100g honey

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp black sugar (optionally)

1 1/2 glasses of dry white wine

4–5 tbsps of olive oil

Roast potatoes in lamb fat with rosemary. Photo: Pixabay

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 180C. To prepare this super easy Greek roast lamb recipe, place the lamb in a large baking tray and scar the surface of the meat with a knife. Make little holes (8-9) on the surface of the lamb, using a sharp knife.

2. Chop each clove of garlic into 3-4 pieces. Fill each hole on the lamb with some garlic and some rosemary. Drizzle with 1-2 tbsps of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Pour into the baking tray 1 and 1/2 glasses of white wine and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 and 1/2 hours.

3. The potatoes and the lamb cook at different times, so you should add the potatoes later.

4. After 1 and 1/2 hours remove the baking tray from the oven, unwrap the aluminum foil and add the potatoes (cut into wedges and seasoned well with salt and pepper). Drizzle with 1-2 tbsps of olive oil. At this point, there should be enough liquid remaining in the baking tray.

5. Place some aluminum foil on the baking tray and bake for 1 more hour.

6. Turn the pan out of the oven and unwrap the aluminum foil. At this time, there should be a little wine still remaining in the pan and your Greek roast lamb should be almost cooked, but not colored.

7. Prepare the glaze for your Greek roast lamb. In a microwave, heat the honey, until it becomes liquid. Blend the honey with the mustard and lemon juice. With a cooking brush, brush the glaze over the lamb and the potatoes. Sprinkle with some brown sugar (optional), so that the meat becomes more crunchy.

8. Place back into the oven (uncovered) and bake for 20-25 more minutes until the lamb is nicely coloured. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Kali Orexi!