Soutzoukakia Greek Smyrna Meatballs In Sauce Recipes

MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE (SOUTZOUKAKIA)

Steps:

• Heat a good splash of olive oil in a cooking pot, over high heat.
• Caramelize the onion and garlic.
• Pour in the wine. Add the allspice and bay leaves. Wait until wine evaporates completely.
• Add the tomato paste, the canned tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add 4 cups of water, the sugar, ground cumin and season with salt and pepper. Simmer partly covered for about 30-40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, start making the meatballs.
• Preheat oven to 200°C / 392°F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs.
• Knead the mixture for 2-3 minutes for everything to incorporate well. It should feel very soft and moist. And just firm enough to hold some shape. Otherwise, you may add another splash of water to it.
• Divide mixture to about 14 parts. Shape each into a round ball and then give it a bit of oval shape. Place in a baking dish or pan that fits the meatballs and is deep enough to include the sauce as well.
• Once you placed all the meatballs in the pan or baking dish, pour the sauce on top all over using a ladle. Bake for about 40-50 minutes. Flipping the meatballs at least once so they cook evenly all over.
• Serve with rice, pasta, or potatoes. I added some toasted pine nuts and chopped fresh parsley on top. You can also serve them with some spicy red pepper flakes and a spoonful of Greek yogurt on top.

SOUTZOUKAKIA (GREEK MEATBALLS IN A TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Soak the bread in the wine for about 5 minutes, or until thoroughly softened.
• Then, squeeze out and reserve the excess wine.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the wine soaked bread, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, grated cheese, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix the ingredients until thoroughly blended.
• Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
• Dampen your hands, pinch off small portions of meat mixture, about the quantity of a teaspoon or just over, and shape into approximately 20 oval rolls (looks sort of like an elongated, slightly flattened, meatball).
• Dredge them in flour.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the meatballs and fry until browned all over, turning occasionally and allowing time for the meat to cook thoroughly. (alternatively, if you want a 'lighter' recipe, you could just brown in a non-stick pan or bake them in the oven - not as flavourful, but still good).
• Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Strain the oil you fried the meatballs in through a fine sieve into a cooking pan.
• Add all the sauce ingredients, and the reserved wine.
• Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thick.
• Drop in the meatballs, stir to cover all over with the sauce, and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice, french fries, or mashed potatoes.

AUTHENTIC SOUTZOUKAKIA SMYRNEIKA

Steps:

• Puree the onion together with 2 tbsp olive oil in a foodprocessor.
• Heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the onion for a few minutes and then add all the spices and stir to get out their fragrances. Add the tomatoes and water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick.
• Meantime, soak the bread together with the wine, lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil.
• Squeeze the bread and use the fluid to puree the garlic in afood processor. Then add the bread in the food processor and mix.
• Put the ground meat in a bowl with all the spices and bread.Mix well and let it rest for about ½ to 1 hour in the refrigerator for the flavours to mix.
• Shape the meatballs into oblong small sausages, around 8 cm (3 inches) long. Heat about an inch of olive oil in a skillet and fry them just until lightly golden brown on both sides. Remove them directly into the sauce.
• Bring the sauce to boil, lower heat and simmer for aboutanother 20 minutes until sauce thickens.
• Soutzoukakia in the air fryer: I used the option for drumsticks. This function is for 20 minutes at 180oC / 350oF. I set the timer at 10 minutes in order to check how they were doing and at 10 minutes they were perfect. Check the post for more details.

SOUTZOUKAKIA - GREEK SMYRNA MEATBALLS IN SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour wine over bread and soak for 10 minutes then mash with a fork. Add garlic, onion, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, all the cumin, oregano and egg. Add the meat and mix until well combined.
• Shape into 18-20 oblong meatballs (the size doesn't matter really, it's just a tradition.) Heat olive oil in the pan over medium high heat. Fry the meatballs on all sides until brown. Remove them meatballs to a plate.
• Add onions to the pan and cook until softened then add the garlic, tomatoes, wine, butter, remaining salt and pepper, and sugar to the pan. Stir to incorporate leftover oil. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the sausages/meatballs and cook over low heat for another 15 minutes. Serve hot alongside rice, potatoes or pasta.

MEATBALL SAUSAGES (SOUTZOUKAKIA SMYRNEIKA)

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and sauté onion until soft. Stir in garlic. Add tomatoes and their juice, squeezing tomatoes to break them up. Bring to a boil. Add wine and sugar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Add pepper flakes and butter, simmer 1 to 2 minutes, and set aside until needed. (Sauce may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Reheat before using.)
• For the sausages: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Knead until blended. Add egg and wine, and knead again until well mixed. Add just enough bread crumbs to give body to mixture so that meatballs will hold their shape when formed. Mix in enough extra-virgin olive oil to make mixture glossy and elastic.
• Shape meat mixture into sausages about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Dredge in flour and set aside. Place a heavy skillet over medium heat, and add about 1/2 inch olive oil. When oil shimmers, add sausages in a single layer. Brown on one side, then turn and brown the other. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Lightly oil an 8-by-10-inch shallow casserole, or other baking dish in which sausages will fit in a single layer. Pour sauce evenly on top of meat, and bake until lightly browned on top, about 40 minutes. If desired, serve with mashed potatoes.