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
We are able to read the history of meal recipes way back into history, in truth as far into history as pharonic Egypt, and potentially, even further back. However, in the main part, these ancient records were just primitive pictorial recipes for food preparation.
The truth of the matter is, the most ancient recipe found, according to experts are some stone tablets in Sumerian describing the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made anyone who drank it feel `wonderful`. As we move into The time of the romans around 25BC a roman called Apicius compiled a few documents which described recipes cooked by wealthy Romans. In his publication, he tells us how the meals were split into hors d`oeuvre, entrees and afters, something we still use today. He also informs us how the cooks of Roman times were skilled in the use of a good variety of spices and herbs, including a few that are still present in modern kitchens like basil, rue and dill. As we move on, there were two interesting recipe books published in the fourteenth century ; a recipe book titled `Forme of Cury`, and another named `Curye on Inglish`. Surprisingly, these have no connection with the curry that is familiar to us all today, but rather descriptions of the types of meals prepared by the cooks of the rich. Later, in the fifteenth century, people returning from the crusades brought us many new foods and spices from the Middle-East, including spices like rosemary and coriander. These new herbs and spices prompted an outbreak in manuscripts on food, many of which still exist in academic collections. During the next few centuries, the rich and powerful families of Europe tried to serve up the most extravagent banquests, and as a result the best chefs and their recipe collections became highly prized. Nevertheless, it wasn`t until the 1800s that formal cookery and recipe collections became really popular. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and Fannie Farmer in the US, spent years to collecting, testing, and recording recipes that were common in the better off homes of the day. By the advent of the 20th century, cookery publications are starting to become popular as a result of increased literacy, people having increased spare time and disposable income. The revolution that is television brings us celebrity TV chefs and the demand for the spin-off recipe books. And that neatly brings us to the present day and the invention of the internet, allowing everybody to access massive numbers of recipes such as those found on this site. |
We hope you enjoy this Keftedes Tiganites (Fried Greek _Meatballs_) recipe.
