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Lamb Meatballs

Ingredients
  • 3 to 8 Tbsp. water
  • 2 pounds ground lamb
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • Pinch of ed pepper flakes
  • Pinch of all-spice
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil

Sauce

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • dry wine or ouzo
  • 1/3 cup pitted, chopped
  • Kalamata olives
  • 3 Tbsp. thinly sliced mint leaves
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese for garnish
Directions
  • Mix the ground meat, with half the water.
  • Mix all the remaining meatball ingredients together. Add more water if needed. The mixture should be slightly sticky and wet to touch.
  • Scoop meat into meatballs, rolling slightly without over working.
  • Use a 3 Tbsp. scoop, the size of a walnut to yield a 1.5 to 2-inch meatball. This will yield 35 meatballs.
  • Heat olive oil in a pan until it shimmers.
  • Brown the meatballs without cooking all the way through.
  • Remove from pan,

Sauce

  • In a medium pot cover and heat the bottom with olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, oregano, crushed tomatoes, salt, pinch of cinnamon and the red pepper.
  • Simmer until the onion is translucent and tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the lemon zest, olives, mint, parsley and a splash or two of wine or ouzo.
  • Simmer another 5 minutes and add the meatballs to the sauce.
  • Continue cooking the meatballs in the sauce until meatballs are cooked thoroughly for another 10 minutes or to reach an internal temperature of145˚F.
  • Remove from pan garnish with feta cheese, parsley, Kalamata olives and lemon wedges.

Categories

EntreeGreekMeatSpicy