Growing up in Crete, I learned to love well-cooked food - the life of Cretans always includes food in all important events of their lives. So, I had - and still have - the privilege to always taste and use fresh and homemade ingredients; to try the first fresh olive oil of the year spread on warm bread from my grandmother's wood-fired oven along with delicious homemade cheese. Next to my grandmother, I learned all the herbs of the garden and the field - I learned to distinguish this unique wealth of Crete - and to use them in cooking. Simple ingredients, and a few each time, create a wonderful recipe in a magical way. As a child, I watched my grandmother open a dough and I was simply amazed by what she could do with flour and a little water.

So, I thought of writing this book, to be able to explain to you how easy it is to learn the technique of dough and to revive in your everyday life the pies that our grandmothers used to make in the past. So, I present to you a lighter version of the pie, adapted to our new customs and intense way of life. Below, I analyze recipes from all over Greece - pies, depending on the habits of the region, are baked in the oven or in the pan. I have borrowed the traditional recipes and added my own personal touch, with the aim not to mutate them, but to see them with a fresher and more modern perspective. I hope this book continues the tradition of Greek pies and becomes a guide for those who want to be initiated into the technique of dough.

Enjoy!