KEFTEDES (TASTY GREEK MEATBALLS)

I first enjoyed Keftedes in Northern Greece, back in 1978 when I was a guide on a backpacker’s bus company. We stopped at one of the roadside restaurants where I was treated to lunch by one of the drivers. Simple food, but simply delicious.

This dish varies from region to region, so this is a kind of a generic version.

INGREDIENTS

4-5 slices of stale bread (no crusts)

2 eggs

1 large onion

1 kilo of minced lamb or beef (leanest you can get)

Juice of 1 lemon

3 teaspoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon salt

Water

Olive oil

METHOD

Soak the bread in sufficient water to cover it. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs, add the squeezed bread mix along with the finely chopped onion, lemon juice the herbs and seasonings. Now roll those sleeves up and get mixing. In all Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries where this kind of dish is made, great attention is given over to really getting your hands in there and mixing very thoroughly. After mixing, let the mix stand in the fridge for an hour.Moisten your hands before the next step and roll the mixture into small egg size balls, give them a good coating of flour and flatten them into burger shapes.Shallow fry in the hot olive oil until browned on both sides.

Pour a large glass of Retsina and enjoy.