Halloumi Muffins and First Greek Food Bloggers' Camp
Halloumi Muffins are based on my Kypriaki Tyropita (a savoury halloumi cake) but made in muffin tins which are lined with phyllo pastry.
Yesterday was the First Greek Food Bloggers' Camp here in Athens and this gave us a chance to meet old friends and make new ones. In the picture with two dear friends, Marianna and Katerina, who both blog in English, so if you haven't met them yet please visit their blogs to meet two wonderful persons.
Vicky and George, who created The Greek Food Blogs Portal, did a fabulous job of pulling together a wonderful experience for all of us who attended, it was well organized and all went smoothly.
After the welcoming, each blogger had 3 minutes each to present themselves and their work, if they liked and other Greek bloggers who could not attend had the chance to present themselves, through Skype.
The camp started at 09:30 and ended around 18:30 and I can tell you we did not realize how the time passed as everything was so interesting.
Alexandros Sakkas, writer, wine taster and wine critic, talked to us about wine pairing with food.
Two Greek Chefs, Dina Nikolaou and Alexandros Papandreou, talked to us about food plating styling.
Panagiotis Beltzinitis, food photographer, showed us the basics on food photography and finally Eftychis Bletsas, a cook himself, blogger, author of cookbooks, T.V. cooking show persona, talked to us about the "does" and "don'ts" infron of a T.V. camera, if and when we are invited at a T.V. show.
Finaly, lawyer Vassilis Sotiropoulos, talked to us about various matters relating to blogging such as copyrights etc.
In between we had a break and tasted all the wonderful dishes and then a break to take some photos which will be published in two food magazines, gastronomos and gourmet.
There was lots of food and drinks. Apart from the catering, we also prepared anything we liked, so had had the chance to taste what the bloggers also cook.
The hosts spoiled us with wonderful gifts from sponsors (cooking gadgets from cookshop, cook books, wines, spices, olive oil and more) and the bloggers who took gifts, exchanged them with other bloggers, so we all left with full hands.
As I said before, the bloggers brought along whatever they liked.
I made two Cypriot recipes which will be included in my cookbook. I have updated the post with the Cypriot Cookies with some new pictures.
The second recipe is a twist of the Tyropita we make in Cyprus.
The idea of lining the muffin tin with phyllo was an original idea of mine several years ago, when I made a Sweet tyropita (Cheese Pie).
The idea was not to use muffin cases but in the end I put them in the muffin cases for a better presentation and to avoid greasing our hands.
Cypriot Muffins in Phyllo Cases
Halloumi Muffins are based on my Kypriaki Tyropita (a savoury halloumi cake) but made in muffin tins which are lined with phyllo pastry.
Ingredients
- 400 grams grated halloumi
- 500 grams self-raising flour
- 5 large eggs
- 1 can of evaporated milk (410 grams)
- 1 cup good quality olive oil or vegetable oil
- 5 - 6 tablespoons of dried mint
- 12 phyllo sheets
- ½ cup olive oil for brushing
Instructions
- Brush your muffin tins with olive oil.
- Cut each phyllo into 4 equal parts Brush each one with olive oil, fold it in the middle and line your muffin tins.
- In a big bowl whisk the eggs (no mixer required), add the grated cheese, the oil, milk, dried mint (be generous with it) and the flour.
- Mix it with a spoon until it resembles the texture of a cake.
- Spoon a heaped tablespoon on the mixture into the muffin phyllo cups.
- Preheat oven at 180oC / 350oF and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Nutrition Information
Yield 36 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 218Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 38mgSodium 303mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 6g
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,
I got the chance to watch part of it through live streaming and I was sad I couldn't be there. I will be next year though, hopefully. It's great reading what a wonderful time you all had.
Magda
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Hope that you will be here next year.
What an awesome event! It looks like you had lots of fun there.
Lovely muffins!
Cheers,
Rosa
My recent post HARVEST APPLE CHALLAH - WORLD BREAD DAY 2010
I'm loving these phyllo muffin inventions you got going on! I wish I could have come to the first Greek food blogger camp too. 🙁 Thanks for taking pictures for me over here in Oregon 🙂
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Ivy
First of all let me congratulate you for the wonderful muffins; they are stunning and so original. Love the idea! This blogger event sounds very interesting and convivial.
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Hi Ivy, sounds like a fun event! Love the halloumi muffins - they sound fabulous, and I am as ever in awe of your phyllo pastry making ability. Re th cookies, I like the new photo better - the hot pink makes the cookies "pop".
Ivy your pictures are great. Thanks for introducing us to your readers. Indeed more than everything I enjoyed meeting you, Marianna and other bloggers and talk to you in person rather than electronically. I can testify that those muffins were excellent, different than what we make in Greece. I know we will be talking more often. As I told you if you need any help with the book, I am here. Lots of kisses.
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Thank you Katerina. I am sure we will be seeing each other more often from now on.
Phyllo muffins! I love them...a very special Greek treat.
And Ivy, you look really really good on the pictures! I love the one you were in middle together with two sweet ladies.
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ivy,you look so great in the pictures,i'm so happy to see you!the new hair color is best for you!
this blogger event was so interesting and your halloumi muffins looks so tempting!
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Thank you Simona.
The event sounds like it went extremely well! I have enjoyed reading everyone's take on it. I only wish I could have attended! Your contributions sound delightful. Anything with Halloumi is delicious to me!
Hope you'll make it next year Maria. Looking forward to meeting you.
What a great event Ivy! Very informative and so fun to meet other bloggers. Both of these look delicious - I bet everyone loved them. I like both sets of pictures!
Looks like a really fun event! And so nice you all got to meet other bloggers! Your muffins look delicious! I came to visit from Katerina's blog!
I love the creativity you put into these treats. The ingredients are especially pleasing to the type of menu I usually set out.
Ivy, thanks for your dedication and for sharing this lovely event with us ;o)
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
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Λυπάμαι που δεν μας δÏŒθηκε η ευκαιρία να τα ποÏμε!
Τα μαφινάκια σου ήταν καταπληκτικά εμφάνιση και γεÏση!
Κάνεις εξαιρετική δουλειά στο Κοπιάστε!
Συγχαρητήριά!
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S' efharisto poly Popi mou.
Sounds like a fun and informative day. And, your halloumi muffins look fantastic!
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