Recipes From My Travel - Paul's zesty Greek orange cake (Portokalopita)

Chef and blogger Paul James writes for our paper.

I just think it’s testament to newspapers like this and to the followers on all of my social media platforms that the name “Recipes from my Travels” has grown in just over two years.

Without your support by posting comments, or sharing my stories, recipes and dishes, situations where I’m recognised because of this column and my blogs would not be – this is just one of these instances.

I’d never heard of the ‘orange cake’ until I was told about it from a towering figure standing over me while having a drink in illusions bar Kassiopi, Corfu with my son, Jay.

Having asked in a (strong Liverpudlian accent) if I was the one who writes the food and travel blog, I glanced up (thinking, I hope I hadn’t given him food poisoning in the past and pondering whether to point in my son’s direction).

I said I was and we then enjoyed a conversation about how his family follow me on social media and enjoyed my stories and recipes, he then told me about this cake and how I should make it for my blog – well I wasn’t going to argue, especially as he reminded me again last week.

So this dish is for George, a real gent and Facebook friend and to his lovely wife and family and a big thank you for also buying my new book….

Visit recipesfrommytravels.com for more on Paul’s blog and recipes.

Greek Orange Cake (Portokalopita)

Ingredients 

200g yogurt

300ml vegetable oil

300ml sugar

300ml orange juice

20g baking powder

zest of 1 orange

1 tsp vanilla extract

270g Filo pastry

4 medium sized eggs

For the syrup  

400ml water

400ml sugar

zest of 1 orange

1 cinnamon stick

Method

1. Remove the filo pastry from its wrapper, place the sheets on a large surface and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes, in order to dry well.
2.  Alternatively, what I did was spread a few on a large baking tray and bake at 100C until dry, you will need to do this in batches.
3. To prepare this Greek orange cake, start first by preparing the syrup.
4. Pour into a pot the water, the sugar, the orange zest and a cinnamon stick and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup has thickened.
5. Set aside to cool.
6. In the meantime prepare the mixture for the orange cake. Pour the vegetable oil into a large bowl, add the sugar and the eggs and whisk.
7. Add the yogurt, the orange juice, the orange zest and the vanilla extract and whisk well, until the ingredients combine and the mixture is smooth.
8. Add the baking powder, and whisk lightly.
9. Crumble the filo pastry into small pieces using your hands. Add them gradually into the mixture while whisking as you go.
10. Lightly grease a deep baking tray and pour in the mixture.
11. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 40-50 minutes until, nicely coloured and cooked through.
12. To finish the orange cake, gently spoon the cold syrup over the hot cake. Allow each ladle of syrup to be absorbed, before repeating until you have used all of the syrup.

Allow time for the syrup to be absorbed and put in the refrigerator.

Greek orange cake should be served cold, with a dollop of Greek yogurt or some ice cream.