Keftedakia (Greek Meatballs)

evelyn/athens's Note:

These are so tasty! The raw meatball mixture is quite 'loose' and needs a gentle touch, but it will hold together (trust me). In Greece, these are considered top-notch picnic fare. Leftovers make a good second meal (so make more meatballs!) the next day added to a tomato sauce and used to top rice, or mashed potatoes, or pasta, or............Please note there's a minimum of 1 hour refrigeration of the meat mixture prior to frying.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 24 meatballs

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried mint, rubbed
• 2 slices white bread, crusts removed (from dense sourdough or artisan loaf)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 egg
• 1 ounce ouzo liqueur (optional)
• flour (for dredging)
• oil (for frying)

Directions:

1. Mix meats, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and mint.
2. Remove crusts from bread slices, process into crumbs (I use my mini food processor) and moisten in milk.
3. Add bread and egg to meat (you can add a shot glass full of ouzo for flavouring at this point, if you like).
4. Knead mixture so that everything is incorporated evenly. This probably means more handling of the meat than you're usually used to, but it's ok in this particular recipe. The milk does not need to be squeezed out of the bread. It will all come together after kneading into a kind of meat paste.
5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using (I often make this an evening earlier to use the next day).
6. Shape into walnut-sized balls, dredge in flour, and saute in hot oil until meatballs are cooked and browned on all sides. (I use olive oil because I have an endless source, but a good vegetable oil, or a combination of vegetable and olive oil would be fine).
7. Good hot or at room temperature.
8. Note: To freeze (after cooking) Flash freeze separately. When frozen you can pop them into freezer bag.
9. Note2: You can also bake these in the oven (you do not need to dredge in flour if you do). They are very good this way, too. Obviously, frying provides a lot of flavour, but sometimes, cutting some calories is also a good thing. ;-).
10. To heat: Thaw and use as per directions above.

Reviews

[Zonian]

These were awesome! We used all ground beef because we didn't have ground pork, but they were delicious. My husband grew up in Greece and said they taste just like his Grandmother's! Thank you for the recipe!

[jo_mama]

I mixed all of the ingredients together at the same time, subbed 1/2 lb of Andouille sausage for the pork, upped the garlic to 7 cloves, substituted sambuca for ouzo, and baked them in the oven @ 350 for 25 minutes. Delicious! I am serving them with a yogurt mint sauce. Thanks for sharing!

[Chef #975860]

My Greek grandmother used to make these for me all the time when I was a child. I adored them. Given my grandmother's cooking style (no measuring tools needed), I never did get the recipe. This recipe is spot on just like she used to make, absolutely perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Now, if only I could persuade you to put up a paxamadia recipe, we'd be all set. Thanks again!