From Yiayia's Fridge

From Yiayia's Fridge

Από το ψυγείο της Γιαγιάς

This cookbook is a celebration of our family’s cooking, with Yiayia at the heart of it all. For years, everyone has been asking for our recipes — the secret behind Yiayia’s perfect

Cookbook Contents

Fasoulada Φασολάδα Stifado Στιφάδο Koupes (Pligouri) Κουπές Garlic Prawns Γαρίδες Σκόρδου Spanikopita Σπανακόπιτα Creme Caramel Κρέμα Καραμέλa Yemista Γεμιστά Jim's Coals Shortcut

Yiayia's Journey to Melbourne

Yiayia arrived in Australia by boat, leaving Cyprus behind to start a new life. It didn’t take long for her to feel at home, marrying Pappou in 1956 and moving into Bank Street, bu

Yiayia's Garden

Ο Κήπος της Γιαγιάς

Yiayia's Garden O Κήπος της Γιαγιά Yiayia’s backyard may be mostly concrete, but she’s transformed it into a thriving garden. With an enormous lemon tree producing fruit bigger tha

Foraging Wild Pine Mushrooms

Αναζήτηση τροφής για μανιτάρια άγριου πεύκου

Caitlins Olive Oil from Pylos, Greece Caitlin spent some time in mainland Greece living on an olive farm and learning how to make olive oil from scratch.03. Foraging Wild Pine Mush

Greek Easter at Milton St

Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα

Caitlins Olive Oil from Pylos, Greece Caitlin spent some time in mainland Greece living on an olive farm and learning how to make olive oil from scratch.03. Greek Easter at Milton

A Guide to Greek Coffee

Ένας οδηγός για να φτιάξετε ελληνικό καφέ

Serves: Well with biscuits and gossip Prep time: 500 years Cook time: 5 min Known for being stronger than a regular coffee and always served black, Greek coffee is an acquired tast

Making Olive Oil from Scratch in Greece

Φτιάχνω ελαιόλαδο στην Ελλάδα

Caitlins Olive Oil from Pylos, Greece Caitlin spent some time in mainland Greece living on an olive farm and learning how to make olive oil from scratch.03. Making Olive Oil from s

Mains

Fasoulada

Φασολάδα

Yiayia once said, “The first meal Italians ever made was Spaghetti. The first meal Arabs ever made was Pilafi. And the first meal the Greeks ever made was Fasoulada. ” With that in

Beef and Tomato Pilafi

Μοσχάρι Γιουβέτσι

Beef and Tomato Pilafi is one of those true labour-of-love dishes — the kind that takes time, patience, and a good appetite when it's ready to eat. Yiayia used to make it often, no

Lamb Chops in the Oven

Αρνί Τάβα

Every Sunday in Cyprus, Yiayia’s mother would prepare chops to cook slowly while the family was at church. Using old-style woodfire stoves, the meat would slowly cook until tender,

Cypriot Chicken Spaghetti

Κυπριακό Σπαγγέτι Κοτόπουλου

Everybody in the family has their favourite kind of pasta. In fact, when Yiayia is feeling generous, or perhaps when you’ve gone up a few spots on her Favourites List, she will coo

Chicken Kokkinisto

Κοτόπουλο Κοκκινιστό

Kokkinisto (pronounced ko-kin-oh-sto) refers to the method of cooking in tomato sauce. In Greek, kokkino ( κόκκινο ) means red and kokkinisto ( κοκκíνιστο ) means reddened. Chicken

Pastitsio

Παστίτσιο

Yemista

Γεμιστά

Yemista, pronounced ‘gye-me-sta’ is a traditional Greek dish that celebrates summer vegetables and is always a crowd pleaser. You can use any vegetables you have on hand to hollow

Avgolemono

Αυγολέμονο

Pronounced 'Ah-vgo-leh-mon-oh' , this soup is a Greek and Greek Cypriot classic. While chicken soup is a universal food that's found in cuisines around the world, every household h

Lamb with peas

For Yiayia, frozen peas have two purposes: The first being an emergency ice pack for cooking mishaps and the second being a key ingredient in this delicious dish. Yiayia has been c

Keftedes

Kεφτέδες

Keftedes (pronounced kef-te-des) are traditional Greek meatballs you can find in all shapes, sizes, flavours and colours. Such is the versatility of this dish, Yiayia blends togeth

Stifado

Στιφάδο

Warm and rich, meaty and hearty, Stifado is a winter special in Yiayia’s kitchen. Combining all of her favourite spices with a mass of slow-cooked beef to form a soul-warming meal,

Chicken Schnitzel

Σνίτσελ κοτόπουλο

Yiayia’s chicken schnitzel and chips is a family favourite, often hailed as a ‘death row meal’ — the last thing you’d want to eat before you die. This recipe unveils her long-held

Flaounes

Φλαούνες

Flaounes are a Cypriot treat, traditionally known as the celebratory food for breaking the Lenten fast to be enjoyed on Orthodox Easter Sunday. Every Easter Yiayia would make it wi

Roast lamb

Αρνί ψητό

There's nothing like a Sunday roast. And when you have Jim’s roast recipe you won't go another Sunday without craving it. On a bed of potatoes, pumpkin and carrots this dish is a o

Lamb Souvlaki

Αρνί Σουβλάκι

This is Pappou’s recipe that Jim has perfected. It's untouched and unbeatable. The secret? Good oregano. Not the powdered stuff — real, Greek island oregano on the stalk, straight

Chicken Souvlaki

Kοτόπουλο Σουβλάκι

Often cooked in tandem with lamb souvlaki, Jim's chicken souvlaki has been a steady riser in the favourites list for the Demetriou and Kissonergis families in recent years. When th

Jim’s Coals Shortcut

Η Συντόμευση του Jim's Κάρβουνο

If you’re cooking souvlaki the right way, you need to do it over coals on the spit. But sometimes you don’t have time or patience to get the fire started with kindling or paper bec

Beef Brisket

Μοσχαρίσιο Ψαρονέφρι

There are as many ways to cook brisket as there are pitmasters out there. However, there is consensus on two main themes. One, while there is nothing stopping you from experimentin

Good Appetite (Chickpea Stew)

Καλή Όρεξη

Growing up on a farm in Cyprus, Yiayia's life was tough, and meat was a luxury usually only purchased on Sundays. While lamb chops or souvlaki on the spit were family favourites, t

Spanakopita

Like most Greek classics, there are endless variations and methods of cooking Spanikopita (spa-ne-ko-pi-ta), but Yiayia’s version is a true labour of love by making her own pastry

Dolmades

Dolmades (pronounced dol-ma-thes) are a staple of the Greek and Cypriot cuisines. You can find them tinned in supermarkets on this side of the world, or you can head to your local

Chicken Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls κοτόπουλου

I know what you’re thinking: Why is Yiayia making spring rolls? The idea came from Sharon, who found the recipe on the packaging of frozen pastry sheets in the 90s. Bringing the re

Paximathia

Παξιμάδια

Garlic butter flathead

Ask anyone within a 100km radius of Port Phillip Bay about Jim Demetriou and they will tell you their own tale about his fishing feats. Self described as a “once-in-a-generation fi

Bread

Ψωμί

What’s better than freshly baked bread? This absolute beginner’s recipe is as simple as it gets and takes no time to pull together. You can shape small balls and cook them on a hot

Desserts

Επιδόρπιο

Dessert Επιδόρπιο X l X

Creme Caramel

Κρέμα Καραμέλa

Yiayia was introduced to Crème Caramel at a party and was immediately captured by its silky sweetness. Determined to add the dish to her repertoire, Yiayia tracked down the Italian

Semolina Cake

Σιμιγδαλένιο Κέικ

This cake is like the Greek version of a sponge cake. Though we all know and love it as Semolina Cake thanks to Soula, it’s better-known as Revani cake ( Ρεβανί in Greek). The semo

Cheesecake

Τσεισκέικ

When Jim was 14, he tried cheesecake for the first time at school. That same day, he went home and asked Yiayia to make one, but there was a glaring issue — Yiayia had never heard

Pastelaki

Wild Mushroom Risotto

Ριζότο με Άγρια Μανιτάρια

This mushroom risotto has a secret ingredient. Found under a tree, on the side of the road, scattered across the fields of an old golf course. Yes, it’s what we’re all thinking — w

Sides

Yiayia’s potatoes

Oι Πατάτες της Γιαγιά

Of the many recipes that have been perfected over the years, Yiayia’s potatoes is one of her trademarks and one of her most-requested foods. Somehow always cooked to perfection, th

Phil's Foolproof Greek Salad

Η Σίγουρη Ελληνική Σαλάτα του Φιλ

Greek salad is one of the most important dishes in our household and somehow ends up next to almost every meal. Over the years, Phil has become the family’s resident salad dresser,

Caitlin’s tzatziki

Το τζατζίκι της Κέιτλιν

This T zatziki might technically be Yiayia’s recipe, but after bringing it to almost every family gathering, Caitlin has more or less claimed it as her own. Like the other simple d

Marinated Capsicum

Μαριναρισμένη Πιπεριά

Made up of only a short list of ingredients which you most likely have in your cupboard at any given time, Marinated Capsicum is a convenient and easy side dish. Filled with flavou

Garlic Prawns

Γαρίδες Σκόρδου

Jim’s garlic prawns are the hallmark of a special occasion in the Demetriou household. They say good things take time, and that’s certainly the case for this recipe, which Jim has

Koupes (Pligouri)

Κουπές

Yiayia first learned this recipe from a T urkish neighbour in her village back in Cyprus. Although pligouri were sold at the town market, Yiayia preferred to save her money for swe

Soula's Potato Salad

Πατατοσαλάτα της Σούλας

When Soula was looking for a mayonnaise-less filled version of a potato salad, she turned to the Mediterranean way of preparing dressing. This light, traditional potato salad alter

Soula's Fried Rice

Τηγανητό Ρύζι της Σούλας

Soula’s fried rice is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, making an appearance at every family event without fail. The liquid from the canned corn is an ingredient she swears by to add ext

Fried Cauliflower

Τηγανητό Κουνουπίδι

When she was young, Yiayia was a self-confessed fussy eater. With a lack of meat in her village and her mum’s preference to eat vegetables, Yiayia would often be served fried okra,

Thank You

Ευχαριστούμε!

Anything worth eating seemed to come from Yiayia's kitchen. And at the centre of it all sat her fridge. Covered in magnets, shopping lists and family photos, it somehow kept track