KEFTEDES
MAKES ROUGHLY 30 to 35 1’’ MEATBALLS
Timing: 40 minutes, including cooking (excluding overnight refrigeration)
1 cup panko
1 large red onion
1.5 lbs ground beef (%? I used 80%)
1 large egg
¼ cup coarsely chopped mint
1 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp olive oil, more if needed
Ladolemono Sauce or Tzatziki, for serving
1. In a small bowl, add Panko and ½ cup water and mix until fully soaked.
2. Use a food processor to mince red onion.
3. In large mixing bowl add in ground beef, panko mixture, egg, mint, red onion, salt, pepper, and oregano. Use your hands to mix well for a few minutes until the mixture is quite smooth and very well combined.
4. Refrigerate mixture for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.
5. Using a one ounce scoop portion the meatballs and roll into a ball. Dredge each ball in flour, making sure to remove excess.
6. Line a plate with paper towels.
7. Heat 3 tbs of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs in batches of 10 to 12 at a time. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until nicely browned all over and cooked through, carefully flipping the meatballs halfway through cooking. Remove from pan and let cool on paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all meatballs are cooked, adding more oil to the pan if needed.
8. Serve while hot and enjoy with some Ladolemono Sauce or Tzatziki.
9. Enjoy!