In Greek: κεφτεδάκια, pronounced kehf-teh-THAHK-yah
Keftethakia are a favorite dish and easy to make. I usually make up large batches of the meat mixture and use some for these cocktail meatballs, and others for hamburger patties or meatballs in sauce.
Tip: When buying the ground meat, ask the butcher to grind it twice. The grind used in the originals is finer than that usually found in Western grocery stores.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 pounds of lean ground beef
- 2 medium onions, grated
- 1 teaspoon of Greek oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of sea salt
- 1 fresh tomato, pureed
- 1 egg, beaten with a fork
- 2 slices of white bread, crust removed (best if slightly stale)
- 4 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons of red wine
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of toasted breadcrumbs
- olive oil for frying
Preparation:
Wet the bread, squeeze out the moisture. Mix all ingredients, except the toasted breadcrumbs, for 10 minutes by hand until soft and well blended. Add the toasted breadcrumbs a little at a time and knead a few minutes more.
Form the meat into slightly flattened balls with a diameter of about 1 3/4 inches at most (about the diameter of a golf ball).
Pour about 1/3 inch of olive oil into the frying pan and heat until hot. Add meatballs, and fry over medium heat until brown on all sides (about 15-20 minutes). (A 10-inch frying pan will hold about 25 meatballs.)
Serve with lemon wedges.
Yield: 40 cocktail meatballs
Different tastes: In my family, we enjoy the taste of cumin and often add 1 tablespoon to the recipe. Others prefer adding a little chopped fresh mint.
Leftover Keftethakia: Simmer leftover keftethakia in Kokkinisto Sauce for 20-30 minutes (time to absorb the taste) for a fabulous second-day main dish.