Greek Fest Food Research (Oedipus Complex)

Baklava Recipe

Background Baklava originated in the Assyrian culture around the 8th Century B.C. as a
layered nut, honey, and flat bread desert for the wealthy elites. The desert then evolved to replace
the flat bread with Phyllo dough and a wide variety of fillings. The origin of the most common
version of Baklava is hotly contested between Greek and Turkish cultures. While Phyllo dough
was created in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire, the Greek incarnation was paper thin, which
led to each Baklava containing up to 40 layers of Phyllo. As Baklava became popularized around
the world, it became more sweet as a sign of wealth in the Greek and Turkish immigrants
homelands.

Recipe
- 16 oz of Phyllo Dough
- 2 sticks (10 oz or 1 cups) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cups of Ground Walnuts
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- cup water
- cup honey

Hummus and Pita Chips

Background The origin of Hummus is similarly contested between Middle Eastern and Greek
cultures. The earliest incarnation of hummus came from ancient Egypt around the 13th century
made with mashed chickpeas that is very similarly to the modern version of it as the evolution of
hummus changed little from the core of chickpeas and tahini (sesame paste). Increased amounts
of trade between Greek and Arab cultures in the Mediterranean caused extremely similar
versions of Hummus to pop up in multiple cultures which led to the controversy over its origins.

Recipe
- 2 cups drained chickpeas
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled, or to taste
- Salt, paprika, and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
- Store bought Pita Chips