STAR-BULLETIN / 2005 Visitors to the Greek Festival enjoy gyros, among the many traditional foods that can be found at the celebration.

Celebrate Greek Festival with tasty pastries

Festival highlights include a performance by FOTIA, one of the most popular Greek bands on the West Coast, plus guitarist Sotos Kappas, the Nisiotes Dance Group and Balkan music by Partners in Time.

And this year, free admission is offered to all active military and their families.

But for many return patrons, the main draw is the food. Expect to find spanokopita (spinach pie), gyro sandwiches, moussaka, pasticio, Greek chicken, souvlaki (skewered beef and pork), Greek and bean salads, baklava and a wide assortment of Greek pastries.

The Greek Taverna will feature imported Greek beer, ouzo, red wine, white wine and retsina.

Festival sponsors include Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Pacific.

Here's a sampling of the delicious Greek pastries you'll find at the festival:

Walnut Cake

12 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups bread crumbs
3 cups walnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) brandy
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
» Syrup:
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs separately and then fold together.

Add sugar, bread crumbs, walnuts, brandy, cinnamon, cloves and baking powder. Pour into buttered 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake 30 minutes.

Boil syrup ingredients about 5 minutes; cool. Pour over hot cake. Serves 20.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 280 calories, 15 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 130 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 30 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 26 g sugar, 7 g protein

Galatobouriko

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 quart milk
1/4 pound (1/2 cup) sweet butter, melted
1 cup farina
1/2 pound (1 cup) butter
1/2 pound filo
» Syrup:
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 lemon (squeezed and add peel to syrup)
1 stick cinnamon
3 whole cloves
1 tablespoon honey (optional)

In a blender, beat eggs with sugar, add lemon zest and vanilla.

Boil milk with 1/4 pound melted butter. Slowly add farina, stirring rapidly so it doesn't lump. Stir 5 minutes, or until thickened.

In the blender, slowly add 1/2 of farina mixture to egg mixture, constantly beating until eggs warm up.

Pour mixture from blender into pan containing remaining farina mixture. Stir over low heat until mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt 1/2 pound butter. Cut filo lengthwise in thirds.

Working with one filo sheet at a time, brush filo with butter and fold up one-third.

Add 1 tablespoon farina mixture, fold sides of filo toward center, then roll up to end of filo.

Brush with butter and place on cookie sheet.

Repeat, using up all the filo. Bake 45 minutes, until puffed and golden.

To make syrup: In a pot, combine sugar, water, lemon, lemon peel, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to boil and simmer 15 minutes.

Add honey. Cool, then pour over hot rolls. Serves 24.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 300 calories, 15 g total fat, 9 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 27 g sugar, 4 g protein