• by XpatAthens
  • Friday, 20 February 2015
Great Keftedes

The secret to great, juicy keftedes is to make the mixture as loose as possible but still dense enough so that the little meatballs will hold their shape when fried. It is common practice in various parts of Greece to add either grated tomato or milk, or both, to the mixture. The liquid adds the requisite moisture to the meat, and changes its color so that the finished keftedes have a light, pinkish tint when broken apart.

The frying has its tricks, too. I always fry in olive oil, fully aware that it is a luxury many cooks outside of olive-growing regions cannot afford. You actually don’t need that much oil for this recipe, as the keftedes, like most Greek fried foods, are pan-fried not deep fried. What you will need is to pay attention to the oil. It should not be so hot that the keftedes burn on the outside but remain undercooked within. You can also fry in pure olive oil, which retains some of the good qualities of EVOO and is a lot cheaper.

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By Diane Kochilas