Chefs 

1. Team Elena Mitrescu, Theoretical High School Filipestii de Padure, Romania

2. Team Maia Usufashvili, Iliatsminda Public School, Georgia 

3.ATHANASIADOU CHRYSOVALANTOY, 11th kindergaten school of Kalamaria, Greece

4. Tamuna Shaishmelashvili - LEPL-Sighnaghi Municipality Iliatsminda Village Public School - Page 22, 23, 24,25

5. BOBE ANAMARIA - ȘCOALA GIMNAZIALĂ NICOLAE IOAN JILINSCHI, VERNEȘTI, BUZĂU, ROMÂNIA- PAGE 26, 27, 28, 29. 30, 3

6. Team Damaris Constantin, Theoretical High School Filipestii de Padure, Romania

7. Team Despina Toulia, 3nd grade, Primary school of Viros, Corfu - Greece

8.Team Stergios Bozatzoudis,6th grade,Primary School of Viros

9.Team Bimpa Maria,6th grade,Primary School of Viros,Corfu-Greece

Elena Mitrescu Team, Theoretical High School Filipestii de Pădure, Romania

Teo cooks sarmale

Recipe for sarmale

- 3-4 onions

- 600 g minced pork

- 60 g rice

- sauerkraut leaves

- a few pieces of smoked bacon

- tomato sauce

- salt, pepper, thyme

    Slightly sauté the chopped onion, add the rice, then the spices and let it cool. Once it has cooled, add the minced meat and mix well. Prepare the cabbage leaves. Fold about a tablespoon of the mixture into each leaf. Place a layer of finely chopped cabbage in the cooking dish, then place the sarmale. Between them, put pieces of smoked ham. Cover with a thin layer of chopped cabbage, add the tomato sauce and simmer for 2-3 hours, over low heat. 

    Delicious! Enjoy!

CHRYSOVALANTOY ATHANASIADOU, 11th kindergaten school of Kalamaria, Greece

Christmas Cookies 

Recipe for cookies

100 gr butter

100 gr faint sugar

1 egg

280 gr flour

1 little spoon of baking pounder

1 little vanilla

CHRYSOVALANTOY ATHANASIADOU

Melomakarona

500gr water

800gr granulated sugar

3 stick cinnamon

3 whole cloves

1 orange

150gr honey

400 gr orange juice

400 gr seed oil

180 gr olive oil 

50gr icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 

2-3 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

orange zest of oranges, 1 kilo all purpose flour, 200g semolina, fine

Christmas Pie  Lobiani

Neapolitan Struffoli

INGREDIENTS

500 g plain flour

20 g sugar

1 pinch fine salt

100 g butter

3 medium eggs

2 medium egg yolks

4 g baking soda

1 orange zest

25 g anise liqueur

1 lemon zest

To season the struffoli:

600 g wildflower honey

100 g sugar

Colored sprinkles to taste

To fry: Sunflower oil to taste

Preparation

Combine the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. Cut the butter into cubes and place them in the center.

Combine the butter and sugar by hand, then add the eggs one at a time to the center, followed by the egg yolks. Now add the anise liqueur and the grated lemon and orange zest.

Knead the dough until smooth and homogeneous. Wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Form 1 cm thick rolls and cut into small pieces about 1/1.5 cm wide.

 Fry: Drop a few pieces at a time into the hot oil. Once golden brown, drain; this will take about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.

 Now, prepare the filling. Pour the honey and sugar into a saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat as soon as it begins to boil. Let cool for 5-6 minutes, then pour the struffoli inside. Mix well until the struffoli are well coated and have cooled.

 Transfer to a serving dish and decorate with colored sprinkles. Your struffoli are ready!

LEPL-Sighnaghi Municipality Iliatsminda Village Public School

Tamuna Shaishmelashvili

Cooking method

To bake a Christmas Gurian pie, you will need regular yeast dough, boiled eggs, and cheese. You can make the dough yourself or buy it ready-made at a bakery. The cheese should be crumbly, like for khachapuri. You can bake the pie in any shape, although they are usually oval or crescent-shaped.

As they say, you should bake as many pies as there are family members in the house. The size of the pie depends on your wishes.

Ingredients

Cheese - 800 g

Ready yeast dough - 1 kg

Boiled egg

Egg - 1 pc.

Divide the risen dough into balls of the desired size and let them rest for 10-15 minutes, to rise again. Before that, crack the boiled eggs and cut them in half or to the desired size. Grate the cheese or crumble it by hand. Roll out the dough. If you are making a crescent-shaped pie, then place the cheese and cut eggs on one part of the dough, and cover the other part of the dough on top.

You can prepare the pies directly on a baking sheet, it's more convenient: transfer the rolled out dough and then place the filling on top. Before baking, brush the pies with a beaten egg and bake at 180-200 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

BOBE ANAMARIA

ȘCOALA GIMNAZIALĂ NICOLAE IOAN JILINSCHI

VERNEȘTI, ROMÂNIA

Romanian Christmas Culinary Traditions

Christmas in Romania is deeply connected to traditional food, which reflects the country’s rural heritage, religious beliefs, and strong family values. Preparations begin several days before Christmas, when families gather to cook together and follow recipes passed down from generation to generation.

One of the most important traditions is the preparation of pork dishes, as the pig is traditionally slaughtered before Christmas. From this meat, Romanians prepare a variety of dishes such as sarmale (cabbage rolls filled with minced meat and rice), cârnați (sausages), caltaboș (a type of liver sausage), tobă (head cheese), and piftie (meat jelly). These dishes are considered essential for the Christmas table.

Another traditional dish is cozonac, a sweet bread filled with walnuts, cocoa, raisins, or Turkish delight. Cozonac is a symbol of celebration and hospitality and is prepared with great care, especially by older family members.

On Christmas Eve, many Romanians traditionally eat lighter meals, often without meat, especially in religious households. After midnight, when Christmas begins, families enjoy the festive meal together.

Overall, Romanian Christmas culinary traditions are not only about food, but also about family unity, respect for traditions, and the joy of sharing a meal with loved ones.

Ingredients:

Steps: Wash pork thoroughly.,Boil in water with salt and bay leaves for 2–3 hours until meat falls off bones. Remove bones, strain broth.Crush garlic and mix into warm broth.

Ingredients:

Steps:

TRADITIONAL TURKISH DESSERTS

 PREPARED DURING SPEACIAL DAYS

KÖMBE (Traditional Turkish Spiced Cookie)

1 cup vegetable oil 

1 cup sugar

1 cup yogurt

1 egg

1 tablespoon kömbe spice mix (or cinnamon, clove, nutmeg)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

4-5 cups flour 

1.    In a large bowl, mix the oil, sugar, yogurt, and egg.

    2.    Add the kömbe spice mix, baking powder, and baking soda.

    3.    Gradually add the flour and knead until you get a soft dough.

    4.    Shape the dough using molds or by hand.

    5.    Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

    6.    Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden.

    7.    Let them cool and enjoy sharing.

                                       KNAFEH

Ingredients

    •    250 g shredded kadayıf pastry

    •    150 g unsalted butter, melted

    •    200 g unsalted mozzarella cheese (or special künefe cheese)

For the syrup:

    •    1 cup sugar

    •    1 cup water

    •    A few drops of lemon juice

Instructions

    1.    First, prepare the syrup. Boil the sugar and water for about 10 minutes. Add a few drops of lemon juice, then let it cool.

    2.    Separate the shredded kataifi pastry and mix it well with the melted butter.

    3.    Place half of the kataifi in a pan and press it down firmly.

    4.    Spread the cheese evenly on top.

    5.    Cover with the remaining kataifi and press gently.

    6.    Cook on low heat until the bottom turns golden.

    7.    Carefully flip the knafeh and cook the other side until golden.

    8.    Pour the cold syrup over the hot knafeh.

    9.    Serve hot and, if you like, sprinkle with pistachios.

Third grade - Primary school of Viros

                 Team

     Constantin Damaris - 

Theoretical High School         Filipestii de Padure

Romanian pork jelly sausage

Ingredients:

                                                                    Preparation:

                                          1. Boil  the  meat and organs with salt and spices until tender.

                                          2. Cut them into pieces, season them, and fill your stomach/gut.                  3. Simmer the drumsticks over low heat for 30-45 minutes.

                                          4. Let it cool and serve cold!

Cozonac (the ultimate Romanian babka)

 Ingredients for one big cozonac:

 For the dough:

• 500-600 gr flour

• 3 egg yolks (eggs should be room temperature!)

• 120 gr sugar

• 250 ml milk, warm

• 100 gr butter, melted

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

• Zest from one lemon        

• A pinch of salt

• 10 gr active dried yeast

 For the filling:

• 200 gr walnuts, grounded

• 4 tablespoons coconut flakes

• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 3 egg whites

• 200 gr sugar

• 1 tablespoon rum extract

 For the topping:

• 3 tablespoons sugar 

• 1 small egg, beaten

APULIAN ORECCHIETTE (OUR REGION)

Ingredients:                                                                                                                                 400 g durum wheat semolina flour, 200 ml warm water, pinch of salt

Instructions:                                                                                                                      

On a wooden surface, create a mound with the flour and make a "well" in the center. Gradually pour the warm water into the middle, mixing with your hands until the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough vigorously for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic and firm. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest for about 30 minutes. Cut off a small piece of dough and roll it out into a long sausage. Cut the sausage into small pieces. You can make your orecchiette any size you want. The important thing is that your pasta is more or less the same size. Use a knife. You need to hold the knife at a 45-degree angle to your work surface, then press and roll the piece of   dough toward you. When you reach the end of the piece of dough, stop and unfurl it over your thumb in the opposite direction to form a concave shape. Put the ready orecchiette on a baking sheet or tea towel, lightly sprinkled with semolina flour. Repeat with the remaining dough.

This orecchiette with meatballs is a traditional dish on Sundays and holidays in Southern Italy, particularly Apulia.

We prepared orecchiette at school together with some of the pupils’ grandmothers. 

Class 2^A Primary School "G.Calò" Ginosa ITALY

Eating traditional festive sweets.Do you want the resipe?

6th grade,Viros,Corfu

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C 

Beat the butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and mix well.

Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and brandy.

Gradually add the flour and almonds, mixing until a soft dough forms.

Shape into small cookies (round or crescent-shaped).

Bake for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden.

While still warm, dust generously with powdered sugar.

Kourabiedes (Greek Almond Shortbread Cookies)

For the cookies

Melomakarona (Greek Honey Cookies)

For the syrup

For topping

In Greece, Kourabiedes and Melomakarona are made during the Christmas period, usually in the weeks before Christmas and until the Epiphany in early January.

These traditional sweets are an important part of our Christmas customs and family traditions. Families prepare them at home, and bakeries fill their shops with their wonderful smells. Making these sweets often brings people together — parents, grandparents, and children — turning baking into a shared celebration.

Kourabiedes, covered in powdered sugar, symbolize joy, celebration, and purity, while Melomakarona, soaked in honey syrup, represent sweetness, abundance, and good luck for the new year. Honey has been an important ingredient in Greek culture since ancient times, symbolizing health and prosperity.

Rich Spicy Hot Chocolate

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

200g Dark Chocolate (Couverture), finely chopped

2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

800ml Whole Fresh Milk

4 tsp Sugar (or to taste)

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon (plus extra for sprinkling)

1/2 tsp Chili Powder (optional, for a spicy kick)

Whipped Cream (optional, for serving)

Stergios Bozatzoudis,6th grade,Viros

Instructions

Heat the milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it starts to steam (do not let it boil).

Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, and chili until smooth.

Melt the chocolate: Add the chopped dark chocolate and stir continuously until completely melted and the texture is velvety.

Serve: Pour into mugs and top with a dollop of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if you’re feeling fancy!