Greek cuisine has a long history―the first ever cookbook was written by Ancient Greek poet Archestratos in 320 BC―and now Maria Elia brings the traditional flavors and ingredients of Greece into the 21st century with her thoroughly modern take on classic dishes. This is not a book for traditionalists, but adventurers ready to explore exciting new flavor combinations and discover what Greek cuisine has to offer. The 120 recipes are a product of a summer spent cooking and experimenting at her father's tavern in the Troodos mountains of Cyprus. The villagers welcomed her into their homes, taught her new and old recipes, shared produce from their gardens and even tried to teach her Greek! She went shooting with her dad and gathered caper leaves for pickling. The recipes in this book are structured into four sections, Small Plates, Sharing & Fuller Plates, Salads & Side Plates, and Sweet Plates. Most have been designed for sharing and can be mixed and matched to create a modern Greek meal to share among your friends and family, where plates of food are placed on the table for guests to help themselves. From delicious vegetarian dishes such as Carrot Keftedes and Tomato and Runner Bean Baklava to Marinated Lamb with Feta Curd or Zucchini-coated Calamari, and a tempting range of sweet dishes including Watermelon Mahalepi and Greek Yogurt and Apple Cake, Maria's inventive recipes will open your eyes to a whole new world of Greek cooking.Starting with a helpful Greek pantry that includes key ingredients for your Smashing Plates cupboard and including over 100 gorgeous location and food photographs, this book will transport you to the fresh flavors of the Greek islands.