Southerners and Greeks share many characteristics, with one of the most notable commonalities being the culinary appreciation for the cucumber and the tomato! The cucumber-forward recipe we are sharing with you is called Tzatziki, a traditional Greek appetizer or shared-plate Meze that can be served as a dip or spread to liven up your bread, meat, veggies or seafood.
Our recipe comes straight from Nikos’s mother in Crete and is also served in the family restaurant, Romantic Corner. When going out to eat at a Greek taverna like Romantic Corner, you should and probably will eat Meze style, ordering many dishes with your friends and family to share and enjoy. If you try this recipe at home, why not invite over a few friends and cook Meze style – the more the merrier!
You also can hoard the entire batch of Tzatziki for yourself. Just grab a loaf of fresh bread, find a good show to binge on Netflix, and you’ve got the perfect solo snack.
Sounds good right? Grab your chef’s hat and lets get started…
Tzatziki Ingredients
- Cucumbers: 2 Large, 1 Small
- Strong Grape Vinegar: 1 Tablespoon
- Plain Greek Yogurt: 1 Kilogram/ 35.27 Ounces
- Salt: Season to Taste (6 Dashes)
- Pepper: Season to Taste (4 Dashes)
- Olive Oil: 4 Tablespoons
- Garlic: 2 Cloves
Tzatziki Cooking Utensils
- Cheese Grater
- Large Bowl
- Vegetable Peeler
- Tablespoon Measurement
- Large Stirring Spoon
- Sieve
- Whisk
Preparing Your Tzatziki
- Peel cucumbers using vegetable peeler. Make sure to save a few cucumber peels to use for garnish.
- Grate peeled cucumbers into the sieve.
- Mash the cucumbers into a ball with your hands, pressing the cucumber ball against the sieve to remove all moisture. (See Video Below)
- Grate garlic cloves.
- Combine Yogurt, Grape Vinegar, Cucumber, Garlic, Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir together with spoon and then whisk heavily.
- Dip into serving dish and garnish with cucumber peel.
- Store excess Tzatziki for later in refrigerator.
Congratulations, you have just cooked traditional Greek cuisine. Now, eat up!
For all the ranch lovers out there, tonight we will be enjoying our Tzatziki as a dipping sauce for pizza! If you try this recipe at home, please share in the comments or on social media tagging @yalltoyamas.
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