Saturday, March 5, 2011

Keftedes - Greek Meatballs

At christmas not only did I recieve a few fantastic cook books, but also a big huge shiny cuisinart mixerfrom Kristopher! It made me cry! I had a mini breakdown while doing Christmas baking a week or so prior, I was trying to handmix dough for linzer cookies and ended up upset, throwing the dough away and probably throwing something on the floor while I was at it. I think he just wanted to avoid a repeat of that incident, so he gave me this.

It took me a while to get into it, but lately I have been trying to use it as much as possible! My favourite few things I have been super excited about making is loads of small, hand rolled/wrapped things and popping them in the freezer. I made a huge batch of dumplings during the Chinese New Year (I also got sweet and sour pork takeaway for the occaison) and there are still some in the freezer, just waiting to be steamed and dipped in soy sauce! And last night I made a huge batch of meatballs from Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes (by Tessa Kiros), this being one the most exceptional cookbooks of the Christmas gifts. It's not necessarily a run-out-and-buy-it book, but definately a look-at-the-pictures-in-the-bookstore book. The photography is absolutely beautiful, and the whole reason I wanted it. I know I have put a recipe up for meatballs here, but these ones are a bit different. I have now made them qith friends on two occaisons, and they are wonderful. They do take a while to make, but make a huge batch of them and freeze them! They are called keftedes in the book, a greek fried meatball.

KEFTEDES
From Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes by Tessa Kiros

2 slices of bread
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 pound mixed ground pork and beef
2 eggs
1 sweet apple, peeled, cored and grated
1 red onion, grated
fresh mint and italian parsley, chopped
olive oil, for frying

-Break up bread in small bowl and add the milk. Let it soak and absorb the milk, squishing it up so that is dissolves.
-Put the meat in a large bowl, add everything but the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Mix very well with your hands, then roll out into small balls about the size of cherry tomatoes. Keep them on a tray or cutting board (if going to freeze, on baking tray lined with parchment).
-To fry, pour about 1/2 inch of olive oil into large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook in batches. Fry until golden brown. Try not to fiddle with them too much or else they will fall apart.
-Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels, and eat them with lemon juice, tzatziki or humus.

That's what the recipe says, but alternatively if you don't want to fry them fully, fry them in just a little bit of oil and then put them into the over, OR fry them a little bit and then cover with a tomato sauce or something and let that simmer, which will cook the meat.

See how handy a mixer comes in? It grates too!

καλή όρεξη!!! (Google told me that means enjoy your meal in Greek).

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Lastly, once again I have made the apple cake!! I will never tire of such an easy, delicious beautiful recipe. Please make one for yourself.

2 comments:

  1. the people want to hear about stew with olives!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, my people are so demanding. Coming soon!

    ReplyDelete