Keftedes

Keftedes (Greek Fried Meatballs)

Keftedes are crisp, aromatic Greek meatballs typically served as a meze with lemon wedges and tzatziki. The traditional preparation uses a panade of soaked bread to keep the interior tender and moist.

Prep

20 min

Cook

12 min

Total

32 min

Serves

4 (makes about 20 meatballs)

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced beef and lamb mix, traditionally a 50/50 blend, all-beef is a common home substitution
• •1 medium onion, grated on the coarse side of a box grater, about 120 g; squeezing out excess juice is optional but recommended for crisper keftedes
• •60 g (2 oz) stale white bread, crusts removed, Greek households often use a day-old country loaf
• •90 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) milk, whole milk preferred
• •15 g (¼ cup (packed)) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, do not substitute dried at full strength; use 1 tsp dried if fresh is unavailable
• •4 g (2 tsp) dried Greek oregano, Greek oregano is more floral than Mediterranean; rub between palms to release oils
• •2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• •1 large egg
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• •1 g (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •30 g (¼ cup) plain flour, for dredging
• •500 ml (2 cups) light olive oil or sunflower oil, for shallow-frying, Greek kitchens typically use sunflower oil rather than extra-virgin olive oil for frying due to its higher smoke point
• •1 item lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Steps

1. 1 Tear the bread into small pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the milk over it and let soak for 5 minutes, then squeeze out any excess milk so the bread is damp but not dripping. The bread should weigh about 90 g after soaking.
2. 2 In a large bowl, combine the minced meat, grated onion, soaked bread, chopped mint, oregano, garlic, egg, salt and pepper. Mix by hand just until evenly combined; overworking makes the keftedes tough.
3. 3 Cover and chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) so the flavours meld and the mixture firms up enough to shape.
4. 4 With damp hands, roll the mixture into golf-ball-sized portions, about 30 g each, then roll each ball lightly in the flour, shaking off any excess. Flatten slightly into small ovals.
5. 5 Heat the oil in a wide heavy skillet over medium heat to about 170 °C (340 °F), or until a small piece of bread sizzles and turns golden in 30 seconds.
6. 6 Fry the keftedes in batches without crowding the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, turning carefully with tongs, until deeply golden brown and crusty.
7. 7 Transfer fried keftedes to a wire rack (not paper towels, which can make the base soggy) and keep warm in a low oven while frying the rest.
8. 8 Check doneness by cutting one in half: the centre should be fully cooked through with no pink remaining; ground lamb and beef must reach 71 °C (160 °F) internal temperature to be safe.
9. 9 Serve warm with lemon wedges and tzatziki for squeezing and dipping.