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Greek Meatballs (Keftedakia)

Keftedakia

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Greek keftedakia — juicy, tender meatballs with herbs, bread, and olive oil.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 500 g ground beef (with some fat)
  • 1 medium onion, grated (with its juices)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 slices of bread -preferably sourdough (crumb only), soaked in a mix of water and 2 shots of mastiha liqueur or ouzo
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp oregano or thyme
  • salt and pepper
  • flour for coating
  • olive oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Prepare the keftedes. In a small pan, sauté the onion in a little olive oil until soft and sweet, then set aside to cool.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with the cooled onion, egg, soaked bread, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper.
  3. Mix well with your hands for at least 10–15 minutes, wetting them occasionally with water to keep the texture light and airy.
  4. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for about an hour.
  5. Shape the meatballs. When ready, shape small meatballs — I prefer bite-sized ones, but make them any size you like.
  6. Fry them. Heat plenty of olive oil in a deep frying pan until hot.
  7. Coat each meatball lightly with flour, shaking off the excess.
  8. Fry in batches over medium-high heat until golden and crisp on all sides, about 4–5 minutes depending on size.
  9. Transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil and serve warm

Find it online: https://cookinathensrecipes.com/greek-meatballs-keftedakia/