Tzatziki

Tzatziki is the yogurt dill sauce served with Gyros. To drain the yogurt, place a sieve over a bowl. Line the sieve with cheese cloth or coffee filters or a paper towel. Put the yogurt in the lined sieve and cover it with plastic wrap. Put this in the refrigerator overnight. If that makes not sense, see my video. Serve tzatziki with pita chips or on gyros. You may also be interested in my post on homemade yogurt.

As an interesting aside, I prefer tzatziki to tahini on falafels. I've always wondered why tahini was traditional. Turns out falafels are a food traditionally eaten during lent when Greeks don't eat meat or animal products. Tahini, a sesame paste, could be eaten during lent and tzatziki made from dairy could not. This recipe is from "The frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines."

TZATZIKI

INGREDIENTS

32 oz container plain yogurt (not vanilla)

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and grated coarse

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 T olive oil

2 T red-wine vinegar

1 T minced fresh dill

White pepper to taste

Let the yogurt drain in a very fine sieve set over a bowl, covered and chilled, overnight. Squeeze the cucumbers to remove as much of the excess liquid as possible. I wrap the grated cucumber in a clean tea towel and squeeze. In a bowl stir together the ingredients and salt to taste. Serve with bread or crackers. Makes 2 cups.