Every food you need at Indianapolis Greek Fest

This weekend’s Indianapolis Greek Festival is a jumble of flavors – and consonants.

"Baklava" is easy to pronounce because you've ordered the honey walnut pastry a bunch of times. "Galaktoboureko?" Not so much. But you need this sweet cheese-filled pastry too. So, here's a guide to how to pronounce it and other Greek foods you'll find at the festival.

Greek Fest happens 4-10 p.m. Aug. 25, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 26 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 27 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 3500 W. 106th St., Carmel. Admission is free.

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Melomakarona

This Greek cookie, pronounced meh-loh-mah-KAH-roh-nah, lands somewhere between shortbread and coffee cake. After baking, the egg-shaped cookies, made with olive oil instead of butter, are soaked in honey syrup before being sprinkled with ground walnuts. Their texture might remind you of a pecan sandie.

Galaktoboureko

Huh? Pronounced gah-lahk-toh-BOO-reh-koh, the name is a space-age-sounding moniker for a simple pastry. Galaktoboureko is a custard-filled phyllo tart. At Greek Fest, the tarts are finished with citrus-flavored syrup, making for a soft, crisp, creamy delight.

Saganaki

At some Greek restaurants, this melty cheese dish arrives at the table flaming and staff yelling “Opa!” Pronounced sa-ga-NAH-kee, the dish involves pan-frying firm, sheep or goat milk cheese and serving it while it’s hot and melty. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end adds just-right zip. Greek Fest cooks prepare kasseri cheese on big griddles and flame the cheese just before serving. The cheese comes with pita bread.

Loukoumades

Pronounced oo-koo-MAH-thez, but you could just ask for the doughnuts because that's what they are, deep-fried dough balls soaked in honey syrup.

Souvlakia

When you want grilled pork or chicken on a stick, ask for soo-VLAH-kee. The meat is marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and Greek spices like oregano. You'll get it on a grilled pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki.

Gyros

You say YEE-ros; I say GI-row. Which one is it? The name comes from the Greek word yύρος, meaning “turn,” as the sandwich’s meat filling cooks on a rotating, vertical spit. Greeks say the correct pronunciation is YEE-ros. If you want two sandwiches, the plural form is gyri, pronounced YEE-ree. Greek Fest gyri wrap shaved beef and lamb in pita bread with onions, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce.

Keftedes

The name is pronounced kef-TEH-dees, but it’s another word for meatballs. These are spicy, deep-fried meatballs seasoned in various ways, as cooks in different areas of Greece cite different recipes. Oregano is often used. Sometimes cinnamon is added. Ask how to make them at cooking demonstrations that happen throughout each day of Greek Fest.

Follow IndyStar food writer Liz Biro on Twitter: @lizbiro, Instagram: @lizbiro, Facebook and Pinterest. Call her at (317) 444-6264.