Kevin Woodford’s 60 Best Holiday Recipes: Recreate the dishes you loved eating on holiday From Ready, Steady, Cook’s popular chef. Kevin Woodford

them on top of the filling, then pour over any remaining butter.

      9 Bake the pie for 35–45 minutes, until well browned. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then cut into slices and serve.

      Kevin’s Tip

      For an even more adventurous finish, try using more than one type of cheese but to the same quantity as in the recipe. Select cheeses with different tastes and textures.

Stuffed Vine Leaves

      Dolmathákia Latherá

      This vegetarian version of one of the best-known Greek recipes is quite delightful. Feel free to vary the quantity of herbs to suit your taste. The stuffed vine leaves are further enhanced if you serve them with a simple sauce of Greek yoghurt with snipped chives and lemon juice stirred in.

      preparation time 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ soaking

      cooking time 1 hour

      serves 6

      Ingredients

      150 g (5 oz) long grain rice

      250 g (8 oz) pack of preserved vine leaves

      300 g (10 oz) onions, finely diced

      3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

      3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

      2 tablespoons chopped fresh fennel herb

      2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

      juice of 1 lemon

      150 ml (5 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

      300 ml (10 fl oz) boiling water

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      1 Soak the rice in cold water to cover for 30 minutes.

      2 Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas mark 5.

      3 Rinse the vine leaves in cold water and then place them in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes. Carefully strain off the water, rinse the leaves with cold water again and then spread them over a large plate.

      4 Drain the rice and mix it with the onions, herbs, half the lemon juice and half the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

      5 Select any torn vine leaves and spread them over the base of a shallow ovenproof dish.

      6 Put about a tablespoon of the filling on each remaining vine leaf, fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll up to form a tight cylinder. Put them in the dish, making sure that they are packed tightly together.

      7 Mix together the remaining oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and pour on top of the stuffed vine leaves. Pour over the boiling water and cover with a lid.

      8 Bake for 1 hour and then serve either hot or cold.

      Kevin’s Tip

      If you decide to serve this dish cold, then be sure to use a good-quality olive oil. If you are using canned or bottled vine leaves, allow for a 350 g (12 oz) jar to yield about 50 leaves and do remember to allow for a little wastage due to torn leaves.

Stuffed Squid

      Kalamárakia Yemistá

      Surely this dish symbolizes Greece more than any other. If you choose to serve it for a dinner party it has the distinct advantage that it can be prepared in advance and then reheated when required. A good fishmonger will be more than happy to clean the squid for you.

      preparation time 40 minutes

      cooking time 1¹⁄₄ hours

      serves 6

      Ingredients

      6 small squid

      75 ml (3 fl oz) olive oil

      175 g (6 oz) onions, finely diced

      2 garlic cloves, crushed

      150 ml (5 fl oz) hot water

      juice of 1 lemon

      750 g (1¹⁄₂ lb) fresh spinach, washed and shredded

      75 g (3 oz) long grain rice

      2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

      1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

       For the sauce

      75 ml (3 fl oz) olive oil

      300 g (10 oz) tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped

      1 tablespoon tomato purée

      1 small glass of red wine

      150 ml (5 fI oz) water

      1 To prepare the squid, pull the head away from the body and discard the innards that come out with it, including the ink sac if there is one. Pull out the rest of the insides from the body – the translucent, plastic-like bone and, probably, some roe. Peel off the outer blue membrane from the body of the squid, then cut off and discard the fins. Wash the body thoroughly and pat dry.

      2 Slice the tentacles from the head and discard the head. Wash the tentacles well and pat dry, then slice them finely.

      3 To make the stuffing, heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the sliced tentacles and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until they have softened. Pour in the hot water and lemon juice, cover and cook gently for about 15–20 minutes.