Easter in Greece : After 20 years in the United States, a native Athenian still recalls--and recreates--the holiday feasts of is homeland.

The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Easter on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox--and always after Passover. Seldom does this Easter coincide with the Western Christendom holy day, but this year is an exception. On Sunday, Easter will be observed by the entire Christian world.

Also known as the Greek Orthodox church, the Eastern Orthodox ecclesiastical communion was formed when 15 Christian sects separated from the Roman Catholic church before the Reformation. Today 3% of all Christians are Eastern Orthodox, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Easter has been commemorated in Greece with worship and feasting for many centuries and has become one of the country’s most important holidays. The celebration begins with an after-midnight dinner and continues with a traditional feast later in the day.

Memories of these sumptuous meals remain vivid for native Athenian Cosmos Kapantzos, though he has lived in the United States for more than 20 years. He and and his wife, Diane, enjoy preparing the traditional feast to share with family and friends.

And while many homes in the Southland may not be equipped to refrigerate and roast a whole lamb, a leg or saddle of the meat may be substituted. With the exception of kokoretsi, an appetizer prepared from ingredients not easily found in Southern California, this Greek menu may be duplicated in a standard kitchen with a day or two of preparation.

For Kapantzos, however, the task began weeks ago when he personally selected a 12- to 15-pound lamb at a small farm in Fontana. The lamb will be butchered today, and Kapantzos will pick up the meat and store it in the walk-in refrigerator at his Astro Burger restaurant in Hollywood until Easter morning.

On the day before Easter, Kapantzos will stud the lamb from the inside with garlic and rub the internal cavity with Cavender’s all-purpose Greek seasoning--a blend of salt, black pepper, cornstarch, garlic, monosodium glutamate, oregano, beef flavor base, parsley and five other spices.

Next the lamb must be placed on a spit. “This is tricky,” Kapantzos said. “The cavity is first sewn together and then the carcass is wired to the spit in several places to hold it steady during rotisserie cooking.”

Once the lamb is firmly attached to the spit, it is studded around the legs with more garlic and the whole body is rubbed with the spice mixture, Kapantzos explained. The meat is then wrapped and stored in the refrigerator.

The same day, Kapantzos will also begin preparation of the kokoretsi, an appetizer made of lamb organ meats that are spiced and skewered onto another spit, then wrapped in the cleaned intestines. He said it takes about half a day to prepare this delicacy, which also is seasoned with the Greek spice blend.

A few of the organ meats from the lamb are reserved to prepare mageritsa soup, which will be served for an Anastasi (Resurrection) dinner that breaks the Lenten fasting. This traditional dish is seasoned with fresh dill and avgolemono, an egg-and-lemon sauce.

The actual celebration begins with Resurrection Mass on Easter eve. At midnight, one candle, symbolizing the resurrected Christ, is lit by a priest in the darkened church. This flame is then passed to light individual candles held by each member of the congregation, until the entire church is aglow.

Parishioners leave the church and return home, carefully carrying their lighted candles. The head of the house enters first and makes a sign of the cross overhead on the door’s threshold before extinguishing the candle.

Bowls of warm mageritsa soup are served, accompanied by bread and wine. During this meal that breaks the Lenten fast, diners tap red-dyed eggs end to end while greeting one another with “Christos anesti” (“Christ is risen”) and “Alithos anesti” (“Indeed He is risen”).

The eggs are hard-cooked before being dyed for use in this traditional game. The object is to tap one’s egg against everyone else’s without breaking it to be assured of good luck for the coming year.

After the Anastasi dinner family members go to bed for a few hours sleep. Kapantzos, however, must be up at 5 a.m. and on his way to the restaurant to bring back the lamb and kokoretsi.

About 7:30 a.m. he lights the initial charcoal for cooking the appetizer and meat. Coals must be added throughout the rotisserie roasting, which will use about 30 pounds.

“In Greece the spit often is still turned by hand,” Kapantzos said, “with those attending the feast each taking a turn.” He has lightened this task, however, with an electric-powdered rotisserie, modified to hold an additional spit for the kokoretsi.

The lamb is cooked by indirect heat. Coals are spread in troughs along each side of the grill, and there is a drip pan under the meat. The kokoretsi is cooked by direct heat over one of the troughs.

It takes at least four hours to cook the kokoretsi ; a little longer for the lamb, depending on the heat of the coals. A brush made of fresh herbs--oregano, parsley, dill and mint--is used to baste both with a mixture of lemon juice, oil and Greek spices throughout roasting, whenever either appears dry.

Guests arriving during the afternoon nibble on an assortment of appetizers: spinach- (spanakopitas) or cheese-filled (tiropitas) filo dough triangles; feta and kasseri cheeses; dolmades (stuffed grape leaves); olives; green onions; radishes, and bread. Ouzo, an anise-flavored Greek cordial, is sipped by adults.

After the kokoretsi is cooked, it’s sliced from the spit and served as an additional hot appetizer.

Finally, the lamb is ready for serving. Guests gather around to watch the carving and sample the crisp skin before taking some of the moist, mild-flavored meat.

To accompany the lamb, there are Oven-Roast Potatoes, Peas With Dill, and a creamy sauce ofyogurt, grated cucumber and garlic called tzatsiki . A salad of greens, black olives and feta cheese--sprinkled with olive oil, vinegar and oregano--and Greek bread (plain or sesame) or sourdough round out the buffet. Resina, a resin-flavored wine, is the traditional beverage.

Later there are desserts-- Galactoboureko, a custard and filo pastry; koulourakia, buttery twist cookies that can be baked at home but are also available at Greek markets, and an egg-studded bread called tsoureki. Strong Greek coffee is the accompaniment.

Food styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane RELATED STORY: H30

Directions for making traditional baked filo appetizers.

GREEK EASTER MENU ANASTASI DINNER Mayeritsa Bread Red Eggs Koulourakia Wine EASTER FEAST Appetizers Kokkoretsi Tiropitas--Spanakopitas Feta and Kasseri Cheeses Dolmathes Olives, Green Onions, Radishes Bread Ouzo DINNER Roast Lamb Oven-Roast Potatoes Greek Salad Peas With Dill Tzatsiki Sauce Wine DESSERT Galactoboureko Tsoureki Red Eggs Koulourakia Greek Coffee MAYERITSA

(Easter Soup)

3 to 4 lamb neck or shank bones

1 cup coarsely chopped carrots

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped parsley

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup rice

Avgolemono Sauce

Place bones, carrots, celery and onion in 6-quart sauce pot. Add water to cover. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.

Strain broth and set aside. Remove meat from bones. Melt butter in same sauce pot and saute meat, green onions, parsley and dill until onions are tender.

Combine flour with small amount of reserved broth. Stir into mixture in sauce pot. Add remaining broth, stir and bring to boil. Add rice, cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in Avgolemono Sauce. Heat through. Makes 7 cups.

Avgolemono Sauce

3 eggs

Juice of 2 lemons

1 cup hot broth from soup

Beat eggs with wire whisk 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in lemon juice. Add broth, 1 tablespoon at time, while continuing to whisk.

TSOUREKI

(Greek Easter Bread)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup oil

1 tablespoon salt

3 packages dry yeast

1 cup warm water

5 eggs

2 teaspoons mahlepi

8 to 9 cups flour

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

6 red-dyed hard-cooked eggs

Heat milk in saucepan to scalding. Remove and add sugar, butter, oil and salt. Stir. Set aside to cool.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Stir in 3 lightly beaten eggs and milk mixture. Add mahlepi and 3 cups flour using dough hook of electric mixer on low speed.

Continue mixing, adding flour until dough is soft and elastic. Cover bowl with towel and allow dough to rise in warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.

Punch dough down and divide into 6 parts. Form each into rope about 18 inches long. Make 2 braids using 3 ropes for each. Arrange braids to form ring on lightly greased baking sheets.

Brush each ring with 1 lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Press 3 dyed eggs into top of each ring. Let rise in warm place 1 hour.

Bake at 350 degrees 1/2 hour or until browned. Makes 2 loaves.

Note: Mahlepi is ground seed of wild, cherry-type fruit that may be found at Greek and Near Eastern grocery stores.

SPANAKOPITA

3 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Olive oil

1 bunch green onions, including about 3 inches of tops, finely chopped

2 tablespoons dried dill weed

1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

3 eggs, beaten

Salt

1 cup butter, melted

1 pound filo sheets

Combine spinach, 1/3 cup olive oil, onions, dill, feta and eggs in bowl. Season to taste with salt and set aside.

Stir 1/2 cup olive oil into melted butter. Place 1 sheet filo on clean work surface and brush with butter/oil mixture. Fold sheet into thirds, brushing each surface with butter/oil.

Place about 1 tablespoon spinach mixture on 1 corner of filo strip. Fold corner over filling, forming triangle.

Continue to fold, flag fashion, up strip, retaining triangle shape. Last fold may require trimming or tucking in excess dough.

Brush triangles with butter/oil and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Makes about 30 appetizers.

OVEN-ROAST POTATOES

5 large potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters lengthwise

3/4 cup olive oil

Salt, pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth, about

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Paprika

Place potatoes in single layer in 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle oil over potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with oregano.

Add garlic and toss lightly. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and lemon juice. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake at 375 degrees 1 hour or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned. If potatoes become too dry while baking, add more chicken broth as needed. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

PEAS WITH DILL

3 (16-ounce) can peas, undrained

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon dried dill weed, or to taste

1/2 cup water

Combine peas, oil, dill and water in saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

GALACTOBOUREKO

2 1/2 cups water

4 1/2 cups sugar

Peel of 1 lemon

1 cup farina

4 cups scalded milk

6 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 pound filo sheets

3/4 cup butter, melted

Whole cloves

Combine water, 3 cups sugar and lemon peel in saucepan. Boil 8 minutes. Cool, then remove lemon peel.

Add farina to scalded milk. Stir constantly over low heat until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

Beat eggs in large bowl. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and vanilla, beating well. Add egg mixture slowly to farina mixture, beating constantly. Add 3 tablespoons butter and mix well. Cool.

Layer 1/2 filo sheets in bottom of 13x9-inch buttered baking dish, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Allow edges to overhang.

Pour in custard mixture. Fold overhanging edges over custard, brushing ends with butter. Top with layers of remaining filo, brushing each sheet with butter. Trim top layers of filo to fit dish.

Score top into diamond shapes. Drizzle remaining butter over top. Insert whole clove into center of each diamond.

Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes, or until filo is golden. Immediately after removing from oven gently pour cooled syrup over top. Makes about 20 servings.