1 karen mintzias
1 lb lean beef or veal, ground
1 medium onion, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 slice bread, crusts removed
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp parsley, (minced)
2 mint sprigs, chopped
1/2 tsp ground allspice*
1 tbsp dry red wine
2 tbsp water (more if necessary)
1 salt & freshly ground pepper
1 all-purpose flour
1 oil for frying
Directions
*Note: Bread slices should be soaked in water, then
squeezed dry. *Ground cinnamon or corriander may be
substituted for allspice if desired. In a large bowl,
combine the ground meat with the onion, garlic, bread,
egg parsley, mint, spice, and wine and knead for 2
minutes. The mixture should be soft; add a few
tablespoons of water if necessary. Season with salt
and pepper to taste, then cover and refrigerate for at
least 1 hour. Pinch off small pieces the size of
walnuts or smaller and roll into balls between your
palms, then dredge lightly in flour. Heat the oil in
a frying pan to the smoking point, slip in the
keftedes, and fry until crisp, turning constantly with
tongs. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on
absorbent paper. From: "The Food of Greece" by Vilma
Liacouras Chantiles, Avenel Books, New York.
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias
Servings: 24 servings
Keftedes Tiganites (Fried Greek "Meatballs") Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Meat; Meatball
The History of Recipes
It is quite possible to prove the history of transcribed cooking instructions way back into antiquity, certainly as far back as the Egypt of the Pharoahs, and possibly even further. Having said that, sadly, these old cookbooks were just simple pictorial, hieroglyphic or cunieform recipes for food preparation.
As we move into The time of the romans 25BC a roman called Apicius compiled a number of documents describing recipes enjoyed by his fellow Romans. In his publication, Apicius tells us how the meals were separated into hors d`oeuvres, main meal and desserts, something that is very familiar to us today. Aspicius also recounts how the chefs of Roman times were skilled in the use of many different spices, including some that we all recognise such as bay, rue and dill. Later, in the 15th century, people returning from the crusades brought us many foods and spices from Arab cooking, including spices such as coriander, parsley, and rosemary. These new spices and herbs caused an eruption in books on cooking, some of which still exist in private cookery archives. By the time we get to the twentieth century, cookery books were in high demand, as a result of more people being able to read, more spare time and disposable income. |
We hope you enjoy this Keftedes Tiganites (Fried Greek _Meatballs_) recipe.
