Don’t let anyone’s yiayia hear you say this, but the comforting layered dish known as pastichio (or pastitsio) is often nicknamed ‘Greek lasagne.’ This hearty, homely meal functions a little like a pasta bake, flaunting layers of cylinder-shaped pasta, a meat sauce and a swathe of bechamel to top it off. Though recipes vary, many are bolstered by the addition of feta, red wine, and a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Just like many Greek families, Greece’s famed dishes often have many cousins. And moussaka could be considered a cousin of pastichio. Though you’ll find meat-free versions of moussaka today, traditionally moussaka comprises layered richly flavoured lamb or beef mince, eggplants and potatoes, and a creamy bechamel layer. What’s not to love?

Meet another cousin of moussaka you must try. With a cute name meaning ‘little shoes,’ papoutsakia are are eggplant halves that are filled with (we’re sensing a theme here) robust minced meat sauce and topped with bechamel sauce. Baked in the oven until golden on top, these shoe-shaped delicacies are fit for a Greek God or Goddess.

Vegetarian may be a term bordering on taboo in Greece, but these tomato fritters served with a tangy yoghurt sauce are loved by carnivores and herbivores alike. Tomatokefteded (often called tomato balls or tomato fritters) are commonly served appetisers on the island of Santorini and among the Cyclades group of islands. Alongside fresh tomatoes, tomatokeftedes are generally flavoured with oregano, basil, feta and sweet, red capsicums. Naturally, they’re fried in plenty of olive oil.

There are few experiences more satisfying than biting into a still-warm slice of bougatsa. A sweet custard pie encased in golden filo pastry, this is one Greek dessert any traveller would be remiss not to sample. Once baked, the filo is drizzled in melted butter and sprinkled with icing sugar and cinnamon. Bougatsa recipes range from mildly sweet to super sweet depending on the region of Greece it’s made in – and, in some areas, it’s considered a breakfast slice. We’ll get up early for a slice of that.

A simple yet delicious hand-held snack – ideal for devouring while travelling – tiropita (or Greek cheese pie) is a moreish bite you’ll be dreaming of long after you’ve returned home. In its most basic form, a tiropita is filo pastry wrapped around feta and baked, but many iterations involve up to four varieties of cheese, eggs, cream, fresh mint and a sesame seed topping.

A popular Greek preserve and a great topping for chocolate ice-cream, vissino glyko (or ‘sour cherry spoon sweet’) serves as an enticing way to rescue a glut of summer fruit. Unlike a jam, ‘spoon sweets’ aren’t used as a spread, but are rather presented in a small crystal glass as a dessert of their own making.

Once you’ve tasted portokalopita (Greek orange pie, or cake), you’ll be hellbent on recreating this citrus-forward dessert at home. Yoghurt, oranges, vanilla sugar flavour the cake, while a zesty orange and honey syrup spiked with cinnamon enlivens the sweet treat.

We’re hesitant to list pistachio paste on this must-try list, because once you know about it, you’ll have to use every ounce of willpower imaginable to refrain from eating this by the spoonful. Made from 100% blitzed pistachio, this creamy spread forms an addictive addition to baked goods – but is best left as the star of its own show, spread over a plain sweet biscuit or even your morning toast. This pale green paste might just change your life, so stock up while in Greece.

Made from the discarded grape skins leftover from making wine, Crete’s fragrant, clear spirit, raki, can be enjoyed cold on ice, or warm (with a little honey, as a home remedy for colds). More than just a great byproduct of winemaking, raki – also known as tsikoudia – plays well in cocktails and is aniseed free (unlike Greece’s famed export, ouzo).