Don’t we love feta cheese these days in Australia.

In celebration in Sydney on November 17 is a function called Maria’s Greek Family Table with recipes from greek chef Maria Benardis who has released a cookbook with all her favourite recipes.

But all will be revealed at this exclusive function that like the book, the dinner features Benardis’s favourite recipes, passed between the generations; and is a rare invitation to enjoy Greek food the way Greek families have always done.

The Grecian feast takes place by the water at George’s Mediterranean Bar and Grill, King Street Wharf in Sydney’s CBD.

Benardis’s captivating storytelling is said to lift the lid on Greek cuisine, “as never before”.

Dishes include Kalamata olives and feta salad; selection of Greek dips; mastic-infused kataifi Prawns; ouzo-spiked Oysters; chicken with herbed feta crust and baked potatoes; loukoumades and much more.

Benardis serves it up authentic Greek style and each dish is also matched with a different Greek wine.

But it is also a family occasion with tales of family life and Greece to be shared. This is an experience for those wanting to learn more about the Greek culture and its food; or those who are Greek that wish to take a stroll down memory lane.

The function will cost $140 per head.

For more information, head to www.greekalicious.com.au

Serves 10 or more

Ingredients:

1½ cups sugar, plus 1 cup extra
2 ¾ cups cold water
1 small stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves
Zest of 1 orange
¾ cup plus 2 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 eggs
¾ cup plain flour
1 heaped cup semolina
1 tablespoon baking powder
2/3 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped, plus 18 blanched almonds, to decorate
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons brandy
Yoghurt, to serve

Method:

• Combine 1 ½ cups of the sugar with cold water in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until sugar has dissolved.
• Add cinnamon stick, cloves and orange zest and simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and cloves and allow to cool.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Place butter in a bowl and beat until soft and light with an electric blender or hand whisk. Slowly add remaining sugar, and then gradually add eggs, beating thoroughly after each addition.
• In separate bowl, sift flour, semolina and baking powder together. Add chopped almonds and mix well. Gradually add this mixture to batter, beating well to combine. Add vanilla essence and brandy to mixture and pour into a greased 25 x 30cm rectangular cake pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and score cake into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. Spoon cooled syrup over cake and allow to cool. Decorate each portion with a blanched almond and serve with a dollop of yoghurt.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Lamb –

2.4kg leg of lamb, tunnel boned
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dried mint and oregano
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Stuffing –

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped, including green parts
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bulb baby fennel (about 120g), trimmed and finely chopped
1 cup parsley finely chopped
1 cup flat-leaf fresh mint, finely chopped
1 cup dill, finely chopped
1 bunch spinach, chopped
150g rocket leaves
1 ¼ cups parmesan, grated
60g Greek fetta, crumbled
Juice of ½ lemon

Spinach rice –

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large brown onion, peeled and diced
1 bunch green onions, finely chopped, including green part
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
350g long grain rice, washed
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
1 tablespoon dried mint
2 bunches spinach (about 350g), trimmed and coarsely chopped

Method:

For stuffing –

• Heat 1/3 cup of the oil in a large saucepan and add garlic and onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft. Add herbs and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat remaining oil in same pan, and add greens, stirring over high heat for 10 minutes or until mixture softens, then transfer to bowl. When cool, add cheese and lemon juice, season to taste and combine well.

For spinach rice –

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan, add onion and garlic, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft. Add rice and herbs and stir for 2 minutes. Add enough water to just cover, then add spinach and stir until it wilts.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season to taste. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until rice is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, replace lid and set aside.

For lamb –

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
• Fill lamb with stuffing mixture, then tie at 3cm intervals with kitchen string. Place in a roasting pan and, using a sharp knife, make slits in the lamb and push sliced garlic into the cuts.
• Rub dried herbs over lamb. Season to taste, drizzle with oil and roast for 2-2½ hours or until meat is tender.
• Rest in a warm place for 10 minutes before serving sliced, with spinach rice.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Melted butter, to grease
2 bunches (about 2kg) silver beet, white stems removed, shredded coarsely, washed but not dried
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, halved, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
3 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
400g Greek feta, crumbled
¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 lemon, rind finely grated
4 eggs, lightly beaten
6 sheets filo pastry
60g butter, melted

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 16.5 x 26cm ovenproof dish with melted butter.
• Place half the silver beet in a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 – 4 minutes or until silver beet begins to wilt. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool. Repeat with remaining silver beet.
• Heat oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft.
• Use your hands to squeeze excess liquid from silver beet. Combine silver beet, onion mixture, green shallot, feta, dill, lemon rind and egg in a large bowl.
• Place filo sheets on a clean bench. Cover with a clean dry tea towel, then a damp tea towel as this will prevent it drying out. Brush 1 filo sheet with melted butter. Top with another sheet, brushing with butter as you go. Top with another sheet, then fold the filo stack in half crossways. Repeat with remaining filo and half the remaining butter to form a second stack. Fold the filo stack in half crossways. Line the prepared dish with one of the filo stacks.
• Spoon silver beet mixture into the dish and smooth the surface. Top with remaining filo stack. Fold edges over and press down firmly. Use a small sharp knife to score the top of the filo diagonally. Brush with remaining butter.
• Bake spanakopita in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and set aside for 5 minutes.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
Olive oil
1 large brown onion, peeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 red capsicum, halved and seeds removed
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
125g Greek feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Pita bread or crackers to serve

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan forced).
• Halve eggplant lengthwise. Brush sides with olive oil. Place halves cut-side down on a greased baking tray. Bake 25 minutes.
• Brush onion, garlic and capsicum with oil; add to tray alongside eggplant.
• Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
• Cool eggplant; scoop out flesh and place in a food processor or mash with a fork in a bowl.
• Squeeze garlic pulp from skins, peel capsicum, and add to eggplant along with onion, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Process or finely chop by hand but do not puree. Mix in 90 grams of the feta cheese.
• Spoon mixture into a serving bowl and sprinkle remaining feta cheese around the edge of mixture.
• Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with pita bread or crackers.