TiTle
The Vegetarian Greek Cookbook
AuThor
Filippos Zervas
PhoTo crediTs
Filippos Zervas
lAyouT - design
Myrtilo, Lena Pantopoulou
Copyright© 2024
Filippos Zervas
FirsT ediTion
Athens, September 2024
ISBN 978-618-205-647-9
Vatatzi 55, 114 73 Athens
Τel.: +30210 6431108
e-m A il: ocelotos@ocelotos.gr www.ocelotos.gr
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of the author and of Ocelotos Publications.
By Filippos Zervas
Introduction
The idea for this vegetarian Greek cookbook was born from the desires of many guests I had the honor of cooking for during private cooking sessions and wellness retreats. I always wanted to write my own cookbook, but these people gave me the motivation I needed, and I thank them for that! This book focuses strictly on vegetarian dishes using primarily Mediterranean ingredients.
Before gaining experience in cooking, I believed a dish needed meat or fish to be complete and flavorful — how wrong I was! I feel incredibly fortunate to live in a country blessed with direct access to so many fresh, healthy, and delicious ingredients, generously provided by nature. This access is one of the main reasons I decided to pursue cooking, being right here in the heart of it all.
I could go on for hours about my memories of my grandma’s cooking, my grandpa’s garden, or the olive harvests with my family, inhaling the fresh olive oil. But just like my food, I don’t like to chatter much. So let’s cut to the chase and start cooking these recipes!
Special thanks to Eleftheria, whose valuable help made this book a reality and an enjoyable process!
Cookware and Tools
Tools and cookware you are going to need:
D ifferent size bassinets and bowls
1 medium anti stick metal pan
1 large anti stick metal pan
1 small pot
1 medium pot
1 large pot
1 chef’s knife
1 small knife with teeth for general use
1 egg shaker
1 k itchen silicone brush
Wooden spatulas and utilities
Metal and silicone tonks
Silicone spatulas
Metal ladles
Scale
G rader
Peeler
D ifferent sizes oven pans
B lender
Mandolin
Basic Preps
Garlic paste
3 garlic heads peeled olive oil
Peel the garlic and put into your multi mixer, fill up with olive oil until the garlic is covered and blend.
Store into jars in the fridge for about 2 months.
Always make sure that the paste is covered with a layer of olive oil.
Tomato sauce
Ripened tomatoes brown sugar salt, pepper Jars
Start by washing the jars and lids with warm water or ideally in the washing machine and let them dry.
Use a tomato sauce maker or remove the green part from the tomatoes, cut them in quarters and put them straight to the pot. Ideally you can blanch the tomatoes so you can easily peel off the skins.
Place the pot with the tomatoes over low heat, season very lightly and let it cook. If you don’t use a tomato sauce maker, wait until the tomatoes start to smash by their own and blend them with a handblender.
Let the sauce cook for a lot of time until it starts to get thick.
Leave the jars in the oven at 140/284 F C degrees, air function for 15 minutes and fill the jars right away you take them out with the hot sauce.
Store the jars in a dry, room temperature cabinet for about 2 years and enjoy anytime you need tomato sauce for your cooking!
Breakfast • Brunch
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
For 1 kg:
500 gr [17,5 oz] Oats
150 gr [5,5 oz] Coconut oil
150 gr [5,5 oz] Honey
2 sticks vanilla powder
40 gr [1,5 oz] cinnamon powder
80 gr [3 oz] sunflower seeds
80 gr [3 oz] crumbled almonds
Directions
Place all the ingredients together in a basin, mix them well with your hands until the moisture is distributed everywhere.
Spread the mixture evenly on a baking tray with greaseproof paper and bake at 140 C/284 F in the air for 45 minutes, in a preheated oven. It will still be moist when it comes out of the oven. Leave it aside and as soon as it cools down and it will become crispy. Break it with your hands into the desired size pieces.
Store in a container with a lid away from moisture.
I was born in Preveza in 1991. I’ve loved playing in the kitchen for as long as I can remember. I started working in restaurants during summer breaks at the age of 14 because I wanted to be part of the restaurant business. After high school, I studied Mechanical Engineering and earned my bachelor’s degree at 25, but every summer I couldn’t wait to return to restaurant work. This passion made me realize that I wanted a career in the culinary field, not an engineering position in a big company.
After graduating from university, I immediately enrolled in the Praxis Culinary School in Athens, where I gained valuable experience working alongside many renowned chefs. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, which significantly affected the restaurant industry, I decided to launch my own private cooking business. This venture has allowed me to share my love for Mediterranean cuisine, a passion I continue to pursue to this day.
Ε-mail: filippozerv@gmail.com
