Stuffed Little Meatballs POLPETES APO TIN KERKYRA Makes about 24 meatballs What the rest of Greece knows as keftedes or by the diminutive, keftedakia, Seven Islanders call polpetes, delicate little meatballs. In the Ionian area these days they are apt to be the mint-doused rendition common throughout all of Greece. This particular recipe, borrowed from Ninetta Laskari’s excellent book on Corfu, […]

In Greek: κεφτεδάκια με πιπεριές, say: kef-teh-THAHK-yah meh pee-peh-ree-YES The meatballs in this recipe for Meatballs in Sauce with Peppers aren’t just made with ground beef (hamburger meat)… they include eggplant! A fabulous tomato sauce with red and green peppers adds to the delightful taste combination. Serve with rice. The recipe serves 6-8. Ingredients: FOR […]

Soutsoukakia ‘The Mediterranean diet is currently considered by Nutritionists as a modus vivende that endows people with longevity and sound health, with Crete at its epicentre, as supported by research conducted on an international scale.’ These cumin-flavoured meatballs may be casseroled or oven-baked with potatoes – here is the oven version. Ingredients: 500g minced meat (lamb […]

al-Baghdadi p. 191/8 (GOOD) Take eggplant, and boil lightly in water and salt, then take out and dry for an hour. Fry this in fresh sesame-oil until cooked: peel, put into a dish or a large cup, and beat well with a ladle, until it becomes like kabis. Add a little salt and dry coriander. Take some […]

Original Recipe Esicia Omentata: Apicius, #48 Ground Meat Patties in Omentum: Grind chopped meat with the center of fine white bread that has been soaked in wine. Grind together pepper, garum, and pitted myrtle berries if desired. Form small patties, putting in pine nuts and pepper. Wrap in omentum and cook slowly in caroenum. [Giacosa, pp. 89-90] Ingredients: […]

The word soutzoukaki (soo-tzoo-KAH-kyah) comes from the Turkish “soutzouk” or sausage. These meatballs are shaped like little kebabs. The are lightly fried and then bathed in a wine-sweetened tomato sauce. They hail from Smyrni or modern day Izmir, and the spices are more Turkish than Greek, however they have been adopted by most Greeks as a traditional favorite. […]

Ingredients 600g ground pork meat (mincemeat) 1 large onion (finely chopped) 100g fresh parsley (finely chopped) 1 cup of breadcrumbs 1 egg 1/2 tsp cinammon or all-spice 1 tbsp salt and freshly milled pepper to taste Corn oil or Vegetable oil or olive oil for frying Preparation Place all the ingredients in a large bowl […]

Keftethes(keh-FTEH-thes) are savory Greek meatballs that are served as an appetizer ormeze(meh-ZEH). The traditional recipe calls for frying the meatballs, but I’ve found that this baked version is quite good and a bit healthier.For the tastiest meatballs, prepare the ground meat mixture earlier in the day and allow it to sit in the refrigerator for […]

In Greek: συκομαϊδα, pronounced see-koh-ma-EE-thah (hard “th”) Traditionally, these little bundles of spiced figs wrapped in fig leaves are dried in the sun, but a slow oven does a great job. Once cooked, these will stay fresh and edible up to a year. Although the list of ingredients is slightly long, they are easy to […]

Ingredients: 1 lb. lean beef or veal, ground 1 medium onion, grated 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 egg, beaten lightly 2 slices of bread, crusts removed, soaked in water and squeezed dry 3 Tbs minced parsley 2 sprigs fresh mint 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 Tbs red wine 2-3 Tbs water, if necessary salt 1 […]