These fried meatballs known as “keftedes” in Greece are particularly popular with children. They have a crunchy exterior with a moist and “fluffy” interior and can be served as is or added to tomato sauce to create a version of spaghetti and meatballs. Consider making a big batch and freezing the leftovers. Place the extra meatballs on a baking tray and place them in the freezer overnight. This will prevent them from sticking together. Once frozen, store them in a zip lock bag back in the freezer.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint or 1 teaspoon of dried mint
- 1 clove garlic
- 3/4 cups bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil for frying
Preparation
- Wash and finely chop or tear the fresh mint if using fresh mint
- Peel and mince the garlic
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Note that depending on the type of breadcrumbs used, the recipe may call for more or less water. Add the water 1/2 cup at a time. After adding the first 1/2 cup, hand mix all of the ingredients together. The mixture should resemble a thick paste that can be rolled into balls. If needed, add the second 1/2 cup of water and repeat the process until the mixture resembles the following picture
- Once all of the ingredients are well combined, pour 1/3 cup of flour in the center of a large plate
- Take a small amount of the mixture and roll it in the palm of your hands in order to create a golf ball sized meatball
- Roll the meatball in the flour such that the exterior of the meatball is lightly covered in flour
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat
- The oil in the pan should be approximately 1 inch deep such that the meatballs are covered halfway when placed in the pan. These should not be placed in the oil until it is fully heated (approximately 5 minutes)
- When you think the oil is hot enough, you can test it by placing one meatball in the center of the frying pan. The oil around the meatball should bubble
- Once the oil is hot enough, place the rest of the meatballs in the pan
- Fry the meatballs on one side for approximately 7 minutes
- Turn the meatballs over and cook on the other side for another 7 minutes
- The meatballs should be a rich brown. If needed, turn again and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes on each side
