Ingredients
Coffee
- 1heaped tsp very finely ground coffee
- 1demitasse cup of cold water
- sugar to taste
To serve
- 1glass of cold water
Directions
- Put the water, coffee and sugar into the briki cold, and stir once to combine. Everything goes in cold together.
- Set it over a very low heat and do not stir again. It takes three or four minutes and then goes from still to over the sides in about two seconds.
- Spoon a little of the foam into the cup first, then pour the rest in.
- Serve it with a glass of cold water alongside, always, and never with milk.
- Let it stand a minute so the grounds settle, and stop drinking when you reach them. It is Ottoman-style coffee, called Turkish in Greece until 1974 and Greek ever since.
Technique
- The grind must be finer than espresso, close to a powder. Nothing coarser will produce the foam.
- Sugar goes in at the start and never afterwards: sketos is unsweetened, metrios takes a teaspoon, glykos two.
- A briki costs very little and there is no real substitute for its narrow neck.
Substitutions
- A small deep saucepan, accepting weaker foam.
- Ready-ground Greek or Turkish coffee, which is milled to the right fineness.
Variations
- Metrios, the standard order, with one sugar.
- Frappé, the shaken iced instant coffee that is just as Greek.
- Freddo espresso, the modern rival on every Greek café menu.
History
Ottoman-style coffee renamed Greek after 1974; the cup’s grounds are still read for fortunes.
Frequently asked questions
What is Greek coffee?
Greek coffee is a drink from Greece: finely ground coffee boiled in a briki, served with grounds and cold water. Ottoman-style coffee renamed Greek after 1974; the cup’s grounds are still read for fortunes.
How long does Greek coffee take to make?
Greek coffee takes 2 min of preparation and 4 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 cup. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Greek coffee?
Yes, within limits. A small deep saucepan, accepting weaker foam. Ready-ground Greek or Turkish coffee, which is milled to the right fineness.
What is the most important thing to get right in Greek coffee?
Set it over a very low heat and do not stir again. It takes three or four minutes and then goes from still to over the sides in about two seconds.
