8 Traditional Greek Recipes For Clean Monday - Plus Macedonian Halva

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This coming Monday - March 7 - is Clean Monday in Greece. This is the start of the Lent period before Easter and there are several traditional dishes that are eaten on this day. Below, you'll find 8 recipes. Just click on the links to go to the recipes.


Greek Taramosalata Recipe
This is well-known worldwide. It is made from taramas, which is the fish roe from cod (mosy common) or carp. You may know Taramosalata as being bright pink in colour, but this is usually due to food colouring being added. It should be a colour varying from beige to light pink, depending on the fish roe.


Greek Pickles (Toursi) Recipe
These are delicious with Gigantes (see below) which is also traditionally eaten on Clean Monday. They can be prepared in a day, so there is time to get them ready.



In addition to the dishes, it is traditional to eat a special type of bread called Lagana, which is flat and hasn't risen as much as normal bread. Usually people buy it from the bakers on Clean Monday, but you can also prepare it yourself.



Butterbeans Plaki (Gigantes)

Greek Butterbeans Plaki (Gigantes) Recipe


Greek Stuffed Squid (Kalamarakia Gemista) Recipe






There are several ways of cooking and serving octopus. This is a simple recipe with small pasta - the type used for minestrone - and is delicious served with grated cheese.

Greek Prawn (Garides) Saganaki Recipe
It is not so common for prawns to be served in this way on Clean Monday, but it is such a delicious dish that we've included it - it is allowed. It is served in individual ceramic bowls as in the photo and the bowls are placed in front of the guests piping hot! This recipe is for 4 of these bowls or servings.

 Macedonian Halva

This halva is traditionally associated with Clean Monday, but the recipe is a well-kept secret, so it can only be purchased.





Eat and Enjoy!

4 comments:

Marie said...

Mmmmmmmm. I love greek food. Thank you for sharing those great dinner ideas.

Elvie @ Elvira's Roundabout said...

in the octopus with pasta, the octopus can be changed with squid? i just don't like octopus, that's why.

Elvira's Roundabout

symposio said...

Elvie - YEs. If you don't want to use octopus, you can use squid. Good luck!

Lavern Owie said...

love this post. really mouth watering! :)

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