The Heart of Greek Cooking

A Story from My Village

At Urban Greek, food isn’t just something we serve; it’s a reflection of who we are, shaped by traditions passed down through generations. Today, I want to take you on a journey to my village—a place where my grandmother’s love for cooking taught me the true essence of Greek cuisine.

Growing up in a small village, my grandmother, like many Greek women of her time, lived to cook. She took immense pride in raising chickens for fresh eggs and tending to her lush vegetable garden. The taste of homegrown tomatoes picked straight from the vine, still warm from the sun, and tossed into a simple Greek salad is a flavour that’s hard to beat.

My mother often tells me stories about life in the village, where my grandmother would rise before dawn to prepare meals for the family. There were no breakfast cereals in those days, just hearty, homemade food. After breakfast, she’d prepare lunch for my family to take to the fields, where they would break from their work to eat together.

Fast forward to my childhood, and I’d spend my summers in that same village, staying with my grandmother. Even as time passed, her routine remained unchanged. Every morning, she would wake at 6 a.m. to cook lunch using fresh ingredients from her garden, just like she had always done.

One of my most cherished memories is waking to the smell of her Gemista—vegetables like tomatoes, zucchinis, and capsicums, stuffed with rice and herbs, slowly baking in the oven. The scent of parsley and roasted vegetables would fill the house, lingering in the air as we set off for a day at the beach.

When we returned, the flavours had melded together beautifully. Served with feta and crusty bread to soak up the sauce, it was the perfect summer meal—light, flavourful, and completely vegan, though no one called it that back then. It was simply how we ate.

At Urban Greek, we continue to honour these traditions—bringing the flavours of my grandmother’s kitchen to your table. And today, I’m excited to share her treasured Gemista recipe, so you too can enjoy this authentic taste of Greece.

My Mum’sAuthentic Greek Gemista Recipe

4 tomatoes
4 peppers
4 zucchinis
4 eggplants
2 onions, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped

1 cup of glutinous rice
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of tomato purée
1 teaspoon of tomato paste (diluted in 1 cup of water)
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

Step 1: Using a knife, cut off the tops of the vegetables, creating a “lid.” Carefully scoop out the insides of the vegetables, and grate the flesh of the tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchinis using a grater or a food processor.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) with the fan on. In a bowl, mix the grated vegetable flesh, onions, garlic, parsley, rice, tomato purée, half of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir well with a spoon and fill the vegetables about 2/3 full with the mixture.

Step 3: Place the stuffed vegetables in a baking dish. Arrange the quartered potatoes in between the vegetables. Drizzle everything with the remaining olive oil and the diluted tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Bake the Gemista and potatoes in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Enjoy a taste of tradition and experience the true flavors of my village with this beloved family recipe!