I learned to make this recipe during a Greek cooking class I organized in Nafplio, Greece, last year. It was part of my annual Patricia Women's Trip, and we held the class at the Skouras Winery. A local Greek chef and his wife guided us in preparing a delicious and traditional Greek meal, which we thoroughly enjoyed with their wine afterwards. Our menu included a fantastic Greek salad, a vegetable dish, meatballs, homemade noodles, and a wonderful dessert. It was truly a memorable experience!

3 TBSP plus 1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 lb. ground beef

4 cups of sandwich bread, cubed

1/3 cup milk

1 egg

salt

1 pinch chili flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 pinch pepper

mint

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging

3 TBSP seed oil, for frying

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 stick cinnamon

Beat the pieces of bread in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl.

In the food processor, beat olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili flakes, and finely chopped mint. Add the milk, egg, and ground beef to the bowl. Whisk for 30 seconds to combine well.

Mash the mixture together with your hands until the bread breaks up completely. Add a generous amount of salt and pepper. Mix again with your hands until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Shape the mixture into long oval shapes, which is the traditional shape of these meatballs. 

Add the flour to a container. Add the meatballs and dredge them in the flour.

Place a nonstick pan over medium to high heat.

Add the vegetable oil. Shake off excess flour and add the meatballs to the pan one at a time.

Brown them on both sides for about 5 minutes total.

When ready, remove from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels so they can drain of any excess oil.

 

Coarsely chop the onion.

Place a pot over medium heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Add the onion and sugar. Stir and sauté until the onion caramelizes nicely. Then add the tomato paste and sauté for at least 1-2 minutes.

Sautéing the tomato paste helps give it a nicer flavor and helps the sauce thicken better.

Add the cinnamon, tomato, and water. Stir and add the meatballs. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through.