Stuff to have as part of a mezze?

[Highlove]

Friends coming Sunday. I'm planning a mezze-type starter before a Mediterranean-ish main and pud. So what should I include with the starter? Main course is fairly light so want an interesting range of stuff. Hit me with your best ideas, please!

Ps. Won't have loads of time so going to buy some bits and make a few others.

Dolmades are a must, I love them, and marinaded anchovies

I love a meze. How about tzatziki, humous, olives, pittas, Greek Salad? I also make spanakopita or halloimi pies if I have time, but you probably wouldn't need those if you're doing a main and pud.

I would buy some tubs of hummus, tzatziki and taramasalata along with some nice olives along with some pitta bread. Some sliced and lightly fried halloumi cheese served alongside slices of beef tomato are also nice. We have a nearby eastern grocers so are spoilt for choice with olives, pickled peppers, really fresh flat breads etc.

What's your main course?

I would buy the stuffed vine leave and the feta pastry things. Serve with fried halluomi, pita, olives, dips, and the huge marinated anchovy things. Might also do a Greek salad to lighten it up a bit.

Babaganoush, hummus, taramasalata, warm strips of pitta bread, olives, cubes of feta cheese, grilled veg.

Some kind of roasted aubergine dip or baba ganoush is another must. Easy to make - prick skin of an aubergine and grill until black all over. Let cool, cut open and scoop out flesh. Add a dash of lemon juice, garlic and olive oil, salt and pepper and blitz. Some recipes add parsley, tahini or chopped onion... Your choice. It'll be lovely whatever you do!

I also mix feta, egg, chopped mint, parsley and coriander as a filling for stuffed pastries. Use filo or brick pastry leaves, cut into long, two inch-wide strips, brush with melted butter, stick a teaspoon of mixture at one end of the strip and then fold one corner over the filling to the other side so you make a triangle, and then keep folding back and forth as triangles until it's all wrapped up. Then bake in a hot oven for 10 mins.

Halloumi is nice stuffed inside pitta or lebanese flatbread and griddled or fried in a hot pan.

And lots of lovely fresh tabbouleh is great too. But it has to be freshly made, and takes huge amounts of parsley to be really delicious.

Gosh I'm starving now!

Lots if good ideas - thanks. Hasn't even thought of halloumi but I love it - that's definitely in.

Main is spanakopita. Not sure what to serve with?

Yes I'm starving. Roll on sunday!

If you have a turkish or eastern grocery nearby, I'd make the effort to get a big Turkish pide as well as pitta. I'd second the dips mentioned, halloumi, dolmades, olives, spinach and feta parcels, greek meatballs and baba ghanoush. Oh yes and tabbouleh.

Can I come?

Asparagus wrapped in parma ham

Spanakopita you say, what time should I arrive? I will bring wine and some goodies from my local middle eastern grocers.

I'd serve that with a big fresh horiatiki salad and lots of wine.