Once you start cooking with wine you'll realize what you've been missing. was flexible with her menu, accommodated a couple guests with special dietary needs, had flawless execution through each course, served everything on time with great presentation and most importantly, did everything with a smile and was a pleasure to have in our home! Greek meatballs with lemon dill rice: 721: 15 minutes: Grilled Greek Potato in Foil with Feta and Oregano: 169: 2 minutes: Easy Shrimp Saganaki: 246: Making Soutzoukakia Smyrneika. Preheat oven to 425F. He learned fluent Greek along the way, being fully immersed in a traditional Cretan village. Add a generous amount of flour to a container. These fried little meatballs are a popular component in Greek cooking. 10 shares. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or one cinnamon stick). You will shortly receive an email from Eli asking you to confirm your email address! I don't drink either but I cook with wine all the time. Brown the meatballs evenly on all sides. Sauce. Hi there! Christina is a wonderful chef! To say meatballs are one of my favorite comfort foods would be an understatement. Its now time to bring the Soutzoukakia and the sauce together! Share this on . The Greeks who were refugees when the Turks burned Smyrna in 1922 (the event that decidedly ended the Greco-Turkish War) brought this recipe back to Greece and across the world with them. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground turkey, egg, bread crumbs, dijon mustard, oregano, basil, salt and pepper until well combined. HI, ai love these and going to make tonight, but IS it 1 tablespoon cumin or teaspoon, the recipe says tablespoon , it seems alot. marcheva14 332 5 67. You can go traditional and shallow fry them or go healthy and bake them. Stir in one and crushed tomatoes. 2 Swedish Meatballs Baked in the Oven. Add the milk and cook, stirring, until thick and bubbly. Enjoy Greek Meatballs in a light tomato sauce served over top of potatoes or polenta. Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services Copyright 2012-2021. Awesome , really quick and easy , most ingredients already in pantry , the warm greek spices makes this a fantastic comfort food , i left out the bread because of banting , you do need a good quality tomato sauce to finish it off. Everything was so delicious, we were literally licking our plates. Process until the onion is finely chopped. Toast 2 slices of whole wheat bread. Greek Meatballs with Tomato Sauce (Soutzoukakia) Start to . Smyrna meatballs, known as soutzoukakia Smyrneika (Greek: ) or zmir kfte (), is a Greek and Turkish dish of spicy oblong meatballs with cumin and garlic served in tomato sauce. . Grab a fistful of the mixture and shape using the palm of your hands into oblong meatballs. Hope you all are safe and eating well! When the oil is hot, fry meatballs in small doses, about 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Ive done meatballs before, mainly Italian. In a mixing bowl add the ground beef, onion, garlic, cumin, bread, oil, salt, pepper, and combine well. Roll them around and cook for 5 - 6 minutes, until nicely browned all over. Directions. When you're ready, form the meat into oblong shapes, place them in an oiled baking dish, and pour the sauce over. time, was polite and professional, and cleaned up afterwards. You can also use this yogurt sauce for burgers. Start by frying your onions until translucent then stir in add the tomato paste,cuminand a bit of salt and pepper. Soutzoukakia can be served with basmati rice, mashed potatoes,fries and Greek salad. Tip: Remember to stir it occasionally and if it looks too dry add half a cup of water and stir. Preheat the oven at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit ( 175 Celsius). Get our best recipes delivered to your inbox. Week 44: Greek - We made Greek salad for this challenge, but I forgot to take a picture before it was too late lmao . On a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment (optional, but makes for easy cleanup), portion out a 1/8 cup scoop of meat into an oval-shaped meatballs. If baking in the oven, place the meatballs in an oven safe dish and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Can't recommend her enough! Sweet Greek Personal Chef Services Copyright 2021. Add the bread and knead well until you have a homogeneous mixture. If you don't like eggs or have an allergy try using a chia or flax egg. Well, the following is a recipe that comes from Asia Minor and Ismir, or Smirni as they used to call the city. Add a splash of water if the pan gets too dry. Knead well until well-combined. Stir often. Here's how to freeze uncooked Greek meatballs: If you like, you can also freeze the cooked dish. Start by placing all the ingredients for the soutzoukakia meatball mixture in a large bowl. I have always used 2-3 teaspoons which is about 1 tablespoon but appreciate that not everyone likes strong flavoured cumin taste I have adapted the recipe to state that! But one of my favorite ways to eat them is in tomato sauce full of savory spices like in this Soutzoukakia recipe. Let this mixture sit 1 hour in the fridge. Sent once a week. More importantly, the food was healthy and delicious. Thank you for all your hard work! Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and bake the next day. Form the meat mixture into football-shaped meatballs (oblong shape) and arrange them in a large lightly oiled baking dish. Hello, Lamb Meatballs Box. Is there any reason this wouldnt work? While your Soutzoukakia are baking, its time to, If the sauce starts to thicken too soon, add a splash of. Add 4 cups of water, the sugar, ground cumin and season with salt and pepper. It looks wonderful. You can read this delicious recipe in Greek here . Soutzoukakia! Add the onion and garlic into the instant pot and saut till translucent. Add the ground meat, butternut squash puree (if using), oil (if using), mint, oregano, parsley, salt and cinnamon. His family is from the island of Crete, and he lived with them for a whole summer. Grate remaining red onion half and add to a large bowl with the ground beef or lamb. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. I make them all the time for my Los Angeles personal chef clients because they are so versatile, delicious, and freeze well. Required fields are marked *. We hired Christina as a private chef for a special occasion dinner party for 12 and were thrilled with the. When bread is soft and well-soaked, squeeze the liquid out completely and discard remaining milk if any. Traditionally soutzoukakia are made with beef mince. Greek Patties. If you prefer you can also use a combination of beef and pork mince. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring regularly. Scoop about 2-3 tablespoons of meat mixture into wet hands and shape into football shaped meatballs. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thick. Christina did our seated holiday dinner and she was amazing! Thanks! If youd like them to be on the healthier side you can use lean/low fat beef. Are you a Greek speaker? In a food processor add the French toast and the bread and process them until a near powder consistency is reached. This staple in Greek cuisine is perfect as an appetizer (or mezze) or made into a meal. You can also add a dash of ouzo in the ground beef mixture. I'd definitely book her again. . Ideally with 500grs you should be able to make 20-24 meatballs. Soak the bread in water for 10 minutes and discard the crust. Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) with Lemon Sauce, Sheet Pan Baked Meatballs Recipe with Vegetables. Bring to the boil, drop the heat down to low and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for about 30 mins. Refrigerate to firm up, 15 minutes (optional). Pour the red sauce on top, then bake in a 400F oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Here, you will find easy, tested-to-perfection, wholesome recipes with big flavors from all over the Mediterranean. Soak bread ( without crusts) in milk for around 10 minutes. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Updated: Mar 18, 2021. Hi! Greek keftedes, floured and ready for frying. Highlights. A little confused, Love this recipe. The full Greek name for this dish is Soutzoukakia Smyrneika. Bring the tomato sauce to a boil and . impressed. If you aren't planning to stuff the meatballs with a cube of feta add the feta crumbles to the mixture. Your email address will not be published. I used much more garlic and added fresh thyme leaves to both. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer (with a little space between them so they don't freeze together) on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for a few hours. You'll be left with what is basically toast mush, which is what you'll use in the meatballs. Every course was amazing. Easy to make. Use enough oil to cover the surface of the skillet. Put in a small pan and add about 2 cups water, mix well, let it . Take pieces of the meat mass and shape them into oval forms some 6-7 cm long. Fry the remaining onions until golden. Once they're frozen solid, transfer to a deep container layered between sheets of parchment paper or a ziptop bag. Place the toast in a shallow bowl with about cup milk. Hi, Pam. Tim. Get the Recipe. In a sauce pan or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add all tomato sauce ingredients except fresh mint, parsley, bay leaf and olive oil to a blender and pure until smooth. Add the meatballs and dredge them in the flour. For the sauce, mix saute the onion and garlic in oil. You can cook your soutzoukakia in one of two ways. The Greeks who were refugees when the Turks burned . Don't sweat the shape too much. Hi, Cathy. Transfer the bread to a large mixing bowl. Usually I don't comment under recepies, but yours was super easy and yamee to make. Cook 1-2 minutes longer. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and red wine. He just said that neither onions or wine belong to the sauce ( but we still love it), and for the meatballs cumin and garlic should be nearly doubled to make an authentic Greek taste. I hired Chef Christina to make a special private dinner for my wife and I for my wife's birthday . Christina arrived on. Your email address will not be published. Add remaining meatball ingredients and mix well by hand. Knead well. I love having leftovers . Freeze for up to 2 months. Add 1 cup of water, stirring to make sure the bottom does not scorch, and cook another 10 minutes. 4. Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes so the meat absorbs the flavors of the sauce. Remove onto plate, cover to keep warm and repeat with remaining meatballs. Not the case here. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the panko to hydrate. Leave remaining sauce in skillet on stove over very low heat to keep warm. It gives a flavor that can't be substituted. Turn the heat on to high. Instructions. I personally prefer to bake them as they turn out lighter, less fatty and with less calories without compromising on the taste! Soutzoukakia is Greek meatballs' soupier version. In a big cooking pot, add water until the middle. Add the paste into a large bowl together with the eggs, Ouzo and spices. Soutzoukakia is a convenient make-ahead meal! Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, pure and stock. In a large bowl, add beef, red onion, 2 garlic cloves, vinegar, parsley, egg, panko, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. While oven is heating, prepare the sauce. Once the oil is really hot, dip keftedes in flour, knock of excess and add to pan, don't overload the pan, it's best to fry in batches, about 15 keftedes at a time, overloading the pan will lower the temperature of the oil. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Greek stuffed eggplant with meat sauce, topped with a rich bchamel sauce is one of the heartiest and most filling dishes of the Mediterranean cuisine. Preheat the oven at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit ( 175 Celsius). Adjusted the seasoning till it tasted just right. You should have 15 to 16 meatballs or so. Authentic, traditional, locally sourced Greek recipes and nutritional advice. Wring the excess liquid from the toast. In a small bowl soak the bread in the red wine. Soutzoukakia are Greek meatballs baked in tomato sauce. This pre-cooks the aromatic spices and releases all their hidden flavours and aromas. Get our best recipes and all Things Mediterranean delivered to your inbox. Season with cumin, salt and pepper and add the whole bay leaves. And it's always served with rice! Hi Timothy, soutzoukakia) is the perfect family dinner. ; Knead the meat long enough so that all the ingredients are incorporated. Arrange meatballs in the papered baking dish and top with the sauce (be sure to have removed the bay leaf from the sauce. beef and 1 lb gr. This recipe for Greek baked meatballs in tomato sauce (a.k.a. Discard bowl of water once all meatballs are formed. I LOVE this idea! Your email address will not be published. I am going to make some orzo tomorrow and serve it with that. 3. Pour in your wine to deglaze the pan and let it simmer for a bit until the alcohol has evaporated. Week 44: Greek - Feta Chicken Meatballs with Greek Pearled Couscous Salad. Spanakopita History: Where Did Greek Spinach Pie Come From? Set aside to rest for 10 minutes. 5. If you've ever wanted to get more people involved in making dinner this recipe is a good one for that. It is never a good idea to add raw meatballs to sauces because they easily disintegrate. When I was living with Sicily, I cooked this for my Sicilian roommates because it was similar to the meatballs they were familiar with, but the spices in the sauce took it in a totally different direction. Submerge in the sauce as much as possible. Return the sauce to the pan with the meatballs and olives and . Tip: use a pan that comes with a lid! Put the olive oil either in a frying pan or a small pot/skillet and put it on medium to high heat. Add a finely chopped red onion and chopped fresh parsley. Get seasonal recipe ideas as well as special offers on our online programs, live webinars and video releases. . The second step is to prepare your soutzoukakia tomato sauce. Add the pork, cumin, the grated garlic, teaspoon pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon oregano, teaspoon salt and teaspoon black pepper, then mix well. Just before serving, sprinkle with some chopped . The Smyrneika in the name is for Smyrna, or present day Izmir, Turkey. When bread Transfer the bread to a large mixing bowl. pork- and kept the rest of the measurements the same. 29/09/2022 | By Alios Tours | 3 minutes. 11.05. Here's how to make it. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 . Juice from onion and grated onion all go in the mix. Then add the potatoes to the dish. In a large bowl mix the ground beef with bread crumbs, cumin, salt, pepper and the egg. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. When you want something special but traditional this is the dish! Instructions. Greek Meatballs in Sauce (Soutzoukakia) Yordanka Kovacheva 2k 1 168. Check out our video below on how to make Soutzoukakia! In your Greek online cooking class, learn to make soutzoukakia (Greek baked meatballs) and another traditional Greek island side dish. These baked meatballs are extra tender and juicy thanks to adding pieces of milk-soaked bread and using a light hand when mixing and forming the meatballs. If you dont want to use wine Instead i soak the bread in milk and squeeze the bread before adding. In a large bowl whisk together the panko, parsley, grated onion, garlic, lemon zest and juice, egg, spices, salt and pepper. Share; Tweet; Pin; Yummly; Save; Each Soutzoukakia meatball should weigh approximately 70 grams (2.4 oz). These Greek baked meatballs in tomato sauce are an easy recipe that can be served either plain as an appetizer or accompanied with rice as a main dish.Soutzoukakia are adored by a lot of people simply because they are very fragrant, warm, hearty, and . Knead them with your fingers until all the ingredients are combined and evenly spread throughout the mixture. In the recipe step 5 and step 6 contradict each other. Refrigerate to firm up, 15 minutes (optional). Greek meatballs - Soutzoukakia | Akis Petretzikis. Reap the benefits of the Mediterranean diet no matter where you live! Mix with your hands until thoroughly blended. Make this baked meatball recipe for a delicious entree or part of a mezze platter. The Real Greek menu offers something for everyone, with hot and cold meze dishes, Souvlaki Wraps, Greek Boxes and mouth-watering desserts. Learn how your comment data is processed. Take a portion of meat about the size of a large walnut and form a sausage. For a Greek feast, serve soutzoukakia with a side of. Top with feta cheese, chopped mint and serve. When properly mixed, make long thin shapes, like fat cigars, about the . Thank you so much for sharing, Phyllis! Your email address will not be published. Soutzoukakia: Greek Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, Perfectly tender baked meatballs, prepared Greek-style with onions, garlic, spices like, toast-size, toasted to a medium-brown (or use gluten free bread if you need). Vegan Meatballs in a tomato and cumin Soutzoukakia sauce served with Pourgouri - Bulgur wheat, no Feta Greek salad, Greek flatbread and vegan aioli dip.