Soutzoukakia (Greek Meatballs)

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I’ve been on a bit of a world tour with my meatballs lately.  I’ve made the traditional Italian meatballs many times.  Last month I finally got around to trying the North African meatballs which were out of this world!  Then I made the Russian Meatball Stroganoff.  So when I came across a recipe for Greek meatballs I thought, why not?

Soutzoukakia are similar to traditional meatballs and are usually served in a simple tomato based sauce over rice or mashed potatoes.  I happened to have an abundance of grits so we had our meatballs over top of that.  The basic meatball was juicy and tasty with the herbs and onions in them.  The sauce was smooth and had just a hint of cumin in it.  I spooned the meatballs and sauce over some cheesy grits which made the perfect base for this dish.

Soutzoukakia  (adapted from Elly Says Opa! as seen on  A Taste of Home Cooking)

1/2 onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. parsley
1 egg
2 T. bread crumbs
Olive oil
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 c. water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 T.corn starch dissolved in 1/4 c. water

1.  Mix together the beef, minced onion, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, parsley, egg, and breadcrumbs.  Form into 15-20 meatballs.

2.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Pan fry the meatballs until the are browned on each side.  Remove the meatballs to a plate and drain the oil.

3. Return the empty skillet to the stove and add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add in the garlic and heat for 1 minute.  Add in the tomato sauce, water, cumin, sugar, salt, and  pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil and add in the meatballs.

4.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add in the corn starch mixture at the end.  Serve over rice, potatoes, or grits.