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Bill&Coo’s Greek Breakfast Recipes

We love us a leisurely big breakfast on vacation. But after the tough life of staying at 5-star hotels, lavish buffets all start to just feel like the same old, same old. Enter Bill&Coo Mykonos, which breaks the mold and fills the table with traditional Greek breakfast recipes. What makes these recipes so special is that they’re a modern take on what you would have at your Greek grandmother’s home.

The Menu

Baked eggs en Cocotte with Zucchini, Poached Egg and Chives
Pan-seared Halloumi with Fresh Cherry Tomatoes and Microgreens
Fig, onion & pine nut jam with Greek Yogurt
Cheese and Honey-Filled Tsoureki Bun
Greek Yogurt with Honey
Greek Olive Oil + Local Honey

The Recipes

All recipes serve 2

Baked eggs en Cocotte with Zucchini, Poached Egg and Chives

The key to this Greek breakfast recipe is having the proper heat-proof jars. It’s worth the investment to get on Amazon and buy up a dozen or so mason jars. This will be a recipe that you’ll want to make for any occasion. It looks great on a buffet table as well, if you’re serving a larger crowd. The presentation alone — of your table full of traditional Greek dishes — will be a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, grated
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons heavy cream
60 grams feta cheese, crumbled
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoons fresh chives, finely sliced (to finish)
1 pinch salt and white pepper
1 tablespoons butter (for greasing jars)

Directions

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F).

Zucchini season hits just right for the Greek summer. Because zucchini is naturally high in water content, you’re going to first need to drain the zucchini. After you grate the zucchini, salt and let them sit in a colander for 10 minutes. This will draw the water out. Squeeze out all excess water with your hands, or with a clean dish towel. This step is essential, or the base will be watery.
Next, cook the zucchini base in  2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add in a clove of minced garlic and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Stir in 2 tablespoons of fresh dill, chopped and seasoned with 1 pinch of salt and white pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Cocotte Time

Now, it’s time to prep your eggs in the glass jars by creating a water bath. It may seem complicated. However, this step is nothing more than getting a large roasting pan and filling it with water, which will perfectly steam your eggs. Grease two heatproof glass jars (200ml / 7oz) with 1 tablespoon butter. Divide the zucchini mixture between the jars. Spoon 2 tablespoons of heavy cream in each jar over the zucchini. Crumble the cheese into the jars and carefully crack the eggs into each jar without breaking the yolk.
Place jars in your roasting pan and pour the boiling water into the dish, until it reaches halfway up the jars. Bake for 12–13 minutes; the whites should be just set and the yolk still runny. Remove jars carefully from the water bath. Garnish with fresh chives generously over the top. Serve immediately in the jar with a small spoon and toasted bread alongside. If you’re feeling like a hero, I also like to make my own croutons from brioche (but you can you any of your favorite bread). Place them right on top, and you have a meal in a jar.

Pan-seared Halloumi with Fresh Cherry Tomatoes and Microgreens

Every time I have this recipe, I wonder why I don’t eat halloumi more often. I especially like this Greek breakfast recipe, because of the pop of colors that adds to the table. Fresh cherry tomatoes and micro greens also add a savory element to the breakfast.

Ingredients

250 grams halloumi cheese, sliced 1cm thick
200 grams cherry tomatoes, mixed colors, halved
1 handful microgreens or fresh herbs
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pinch flaky sea salt and black pepper
1 teaspoons honey (optional, to drizzle)

Directions

Slice your halloumi cheese thick, and pat dry well with a paper towel. To get a perfect brown, you’ll want to make sure the cheese is as dry as possible. You don’t even need olive oil when you brown your cheese. Place it directly on a very hot cast iron pan and brown both sides. 
While the halloumi sears, the cut the cherry tomatoes in half and toss with the extra virgin olive oil, dried oregano, fresh lemon juice, sea salt and black pepper. Set aside until the cheese is ready. Plate the halloumi immediately, and artfully arrange the tomatoes on the plate. (It’s not just the food, but also the presentation of these Greek breakfast recipes that elevate the experience.) Scatter the microgreens or fresh herbs over the top. Optionally, drizzle 1 teaspoon of honey over the cheese. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and serve straight away.

Fig, Onion & Pine Nut Jam with Greek Yogurt

There are so many health benefits to every single aspect of this recipe. Greek yogurt is always a good idea — and don’t drain the water. That water is one of the most nutrient-rich aspects of the yogurt. Think of it as brain food, so just drink, it or mix it back into the yogurt. When I have time to have a leisurely Greek traditional breakfast, I like to have both a savory as well as sweet version of yogurt. This dish hits all the right notes, especially with the caramelized onions.

Ingredients

8 ripe figs, quartered
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 tablespoons honey (Greek thyme honey if you can get it)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
0.3 teaspoons sea salt
0.3 teaspoons cracked black pepper
1.5 cups thick Greek yogurt, full-fat
1 tablespoons honey, for drizzling

Directions

This Greek breakfast recipe is all about taking time with the fine details, like toasting your nuts. Of course, you can just throw your pine nuts in, but toasting nuts adds a noticeable element, so don’t skip it. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast 3 tablespoons pine nuts until golden and fragrant. Toss often, so they don’t burn. Tip onto a plate and set aside.
Next, it’s time to caramelize the onions. This is the sweet and savory element to the dish, so don’t skip this step either. Also, take advantage of the flavor in the skillet from the nuts and don’t rinse the original pan. Return the skillet to medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced, and a pinch of 0.3 teaspoons sea salt, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deeply soft and just starting to caramelize.
Stir in 8 ripe figs, quartered and cook gently until they begin to break down and release their juices — about 5 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons honey (Greek thyme honey if you can get it), 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens into a jammy, spoonable consistency. Season with 0.3 teaspoons cracked black pepper and remaining 0.3 teaspoons sea salt to taste. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature — it will thicken further as it sits.
Now it’s time to present the dish. Spoon the thick Greek yogurt into a mason jar. Spoon the fig and onion jam generously over the top. I love that you can make these in a batch at the beginning of the week and eat them whenever you need a healthy snack.

Cheese and Honey-Filled Tsoureki Bun

Ingredients

Directions

For the Dough

  • 3¾ cupsall-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cupgranulated sugar
  • 2¼ tspactive dry yeast, one packet
  • ¾ tspground mahlab
  • ¼ tspground mastic, crushed with a little sugar
  • ½ tspsea salt
  • ⅔ cupwarm whole milk
  • 2large eggs, room temperature
  • 1large egg yolk
  • 6 tbspunsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsporange zest

For the Filling

  • 1 cupsoft mizithra or ricotta, well-drained
  • 3 tbsphoney, plus extra for finishing
  • 1egg yolk
  • 1 tbspgranulated sugar
  • ½ tspvanilla extract
  • 1egg, beaten, for egg wash
  • 2 tbspsesame seeds, for topping

Directions

The dough does most of the waiting. You just need to be nearby.  Begin by warming the milk until just lukewarm, then whisk in the yeast and a pinch of the sugar. Let the mixture  sit until foamy, about 8 minutes.

In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, remaining sugar, mahlab, mastic, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, eggs, egg yolk, and orange zest. Mix on low until it comes together. With the mixer still running, add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, letting each addition incorporate before the next. Knead until the dough is smooth, glossy, and pulls cleanly from the bowl, about 10 minutes.

Now you’re going to let the dough rise at least twice. Shape the dough into a ball, and place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Allow the dough to rise somewhere warm until doubled, about 90 minutes.

While the dough rises, stir together the mizithra, honey, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

Once your dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into 8 equal pieces. Flatten each into a disc, spoon a generous tablespoon of filling into the center, and gather the edges up and over to seal, pinching firmly. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and let the buns rise again until puffy, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush each bun with beaten egg and scatter over the sesame seeds. Bake until deeply golden and the filling just peeks through the seams, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes on the tray, then drizzle warm with more honey before serving.

FAQs

Q: If I can’t find mahlab or mastic, can I skip them?

A: You can, though the bread will lean more toward a standard brioche. If you’re leaving one out, mahlab contributes more of the signature tsoureki flavor, so prioritize sourcing that first.

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