My Big Fat Greek Easter

Forget the Cadbury Creme Eggs, Peeps and chocolate bunnies. Spring is all about lamb, phyllo, feta and more lamb.

Did I mention lamb?

This Sunday was Ryan and my 2nd annual Greek Easter celebration with our (obviously) Greek friend and his family. The party was at his house in Yonkers, N.Y., which got me pumped for two reasons: 1. I'd finally be able to see his outdoor brick oven in action and 2. His mom would be there with one of my favorite versions of spanakopita.

I'm slowly picking up on Greek Easter traditions—including learning my first Greek phrase, "Christos anesti," which means "Christ is risen." (The response is "Alithos anesti," or "He has risen indeed.") Every person who walks in the door is greeted this way.

There's also the tradition of tsougrisma, where each person receives a hardboiled, dyed egg and taps it against another's; the player with the uncracked egg continues. The last person remaining without a broken shell is declared winner and will have good luck the rest of the year. (For the record, I didn't win—this year or last.)

Not surprisingly, all the food was delicious. The roast lamb, artichokes and lemon potatoes were the centerpiece, surrounded by spanakopita, cheese pie (tiropita), moussaka, roasted chicken, two salads, Easter bread, Greek-style sliders, and on and on. I contributed non-Greek dishes, including a fresh ricotta and smashed pea spread with crostini (thanks to my good friend and fellow culinary grad, Amanda) as well as a shaved asparagus, aged gouda and hazelnut salad with lemon-honey vinaigrette.

Of course, a boatload of desserts followed the gut-busting dinner. I had to laugh when a tray of Greek cookies was accented with a few electric yellow Peeps and foil-wrapped eggs—a little bit of American tradition tossed into the mix.

The feast was not unlike the holidays I grew up celebrating in that it was huge. Leftovers abounded, and every guest took home a 9 x 13 aluminum pan full of food. Ryan and I have been eating Greek all week. I even made a hearty ragu with the leftover lamb and artichokes, adding some diced tomatoes, onions, red wine and other herbs and spices, then topping it with a mound of ricotta cheese (thank you, chef Andrew Carmellini, for the inspiration).

A-tisket, a-tasket, next year I want lamb in my Easter basket.

Feeling Shrimpy

They say you are what you eat. Well last night, I suppose you could call me a shrimp (not that I haven't heard that one before, thanks to my 5-foot-barely-2 stature).

Apparently, I still have Astoria on the mind. I've been craving a dish one of our favorite Greek restaurants calls "Garides Liana"—a lemon and olive oil shrimp tossed with garlic. The restaurant, Agnanti, serves massive shrimp with their heads still attached. (Don't ever be scared to order it this way—it packs a ton of flavor.) Garides Liana is one of those dishes that's so flavorful, I have a difficult time trying a "new" entree when I'm there. I always want to eat the shrimp because they're so amazing.

I searched online for a similar recipe and came across this one on Epicurious.com. It wasn't an exact replica of Agnanti's—especially since Whole Foods didn't carry the same size shrimp—but it's definitely a keeper. Even Ryan, who's not always in the mood for shrimp, scarfed it down.

Lemon-Garlic Baked Shrimp (adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious.com)

4 garlic cloves, chopped or thinly sliced

1 1/4 pound medium (16-to-20 count) uncooked shrimp (I shelled and cleaned them myself, but you can definitely buy them deveined)

1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. In an 8-inch round shallow baking dish, combine garlic and oil. Place in middle of the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly colored; be careful not to burn it.

3. Add shrimp, 2 tablespoon lemon juice and salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Bake shrimp, turning once, until just cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in remaining lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

I served it with a Greek salad of cucumber, red onion, tomatoes and feta cheese tossed with an oregano-red wine vinegar dressing. And don't forget a loaf of crusty bread to sop up the lemony goodness.

This dish certainly doesn't have shrimpy flavors.

It's Greek to Me

Astoria will always have a place in my heart.

When Ryan and I first moved to New York, the Queens' neighborhood was our home. We lived in the same apartment for four years, all the while developing a deep love for Greek food. Apparently, Astoria has the largest population of Greeks outside Greece itself. Whether you turned left or right down our street, there was an amazing Greek restaurant.

We haven't found anything like it in Manhattan—and there are definitely days we miss it.

Yesterday was one of those. Instead of journeying to our old stomping grounds, I decided to give the cuisine a shot in my own kitchen. I landed on pastitsio, one of my husband's favorite Greek dishes. The recent issue of Bon Appetit gave me guidance with its mac 'n' cheese story (in it was a recipe for pastitsio with a Moroccan twist).

It turned out delicious, and I'm pretty confident the Greeks in Astoria would agree. I love that the recipe uses ground lamb, which isn't always the case with other online pastitsio recipes I've found. There are a lot of steps (and pans), but if you're looking for a stick-to-your-ribs meal, this is a good bet. Plus, it makes a ton, so you'll likely have leftovers.

Lamb and Feta Pastitsio (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Yield: 10 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 cups red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound ground lamb

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes in juice

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3 cups whole milk

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

6 tablespoons AP flour

3 eggs, separated

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1 pound penne or similar noodles

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add onion and garlic; saute until onion is transluscent, about 5 minutes. Add ground lamb, break into small pieces and and cook until it browns, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), herbs, 1 tablespoon cumin, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture is thick, stirring often, about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, simmer 2 cups of milk in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and cover. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk roux until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Gradually add warm milk to roux, whisking until sauce is smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup of milk and 3 egg yolks, then whisk in sauce. Stir in feta, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking often, and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 14-cup baking dish. Cook pasta about 3/4 of the way (it will cook additionally in the oven). Drain noodles and return to pot, stirring in 2 tablespoons of butter, egg whites and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

4. Spread half of pasta in the dish. Add lamb mixture. Top with remaining pasta. Spoon feta sauce over the noodles. Bake until top starts to turn golden, about 40 minutes.

A lot of work, but it's a feast for the gods—and you.