Sofi Konstantinides, proprietor of the acclaimed Los Angeles restaurant Sofi, presents the home cooking of her native Greece in 145 recipes, made lighter and healthier with less oil, butter, and sugar than is customary.
Sofi was destined to become an expert in the kitchen; she grew up in Karditsa, a village in the heart of the Greek mainland, in a family of talented cooks. There was Aunt Harikleia, who taught her the delicate art of making fyllo dough; aunts Vita and Georgia, who instilled in her their zeal for using only the freshest ingredients and the importance of proper presentation; and, above all, Sofis mother, whose kitchen was always filled with tantalizing aromas, and who could prepare a spread of more than thirty mezethes (appetizers) for unexpected guests in what, to her astonished daughter, seemed no time at all.
Now, in Sofi's Aegean Kitchen, Sofi shares with you the dishes served at her mothers table, at family get-togethers, and at tavernas by the sea; and the specialties that were always the centerpiece of any holiday or celebration. Among the wide range of recipes are assorted appetizers, including the famous Skordalia (Garlic Dip) and stuffed grape leaves; nutritious and flavorful soups such as Egg-Lemon Soup and tart, refreshing Maroulosoupa (Lettuce Soup); simply grilled chicken and fish, spit-roasted lamb, and traditional Mousaka, crisp vegetable salads and flaky fyllo pies; such classic desserts as honey-drenched Baklava and Rizogalo (light, creamy rice pudding made without eggs or butter); and regional favorites, from Pastitsatha (a veal and pasta dish from the island of Corfu) to the Turkish-influenced Aginares a la Polita (artichoke hearts blended with a light lemon sauce).
Also included is a chapter devoted to everything needed to stock a proper Greek kitchen, from olive oil, herbs, and cheese to coffee and wine. Warmed by reminiscences of family and friends, Sofi's Aegean Kitchen is both a loving tribute to generations of talented Greek cooks and a health conscious offering of their best home cooking,

SOFI LAZARIDES KONSTANTINIDES lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Konstantin, and their young son, Georgie. Sofi and Konstantin are the proprietors of Sofi, widely recognized as Los Angeles best Greek restaurant. This is Sofis first book.