Greek inspired Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

"Dinner was made for eating, not for talking." William Makepeace Thackeray

 

 

Well, that quote pretty much sums up our dinner last night! It turned out so good, we scarfed it down with out saying much but, 'Yum!!'
Yesterday I had one of those moments when I had no idea what was going to be for dinner... So, I did what I usually do in such situations: wonder around the grocery store aisles until I'm inspired! Yesterday my inspiration turned out to be a piece of feta cheese. I love Greek food and I love feta cheese! Whenever I eat feta, it takes me right back to Greece! I've travelled around Greece twice, the second time being especially amazing, since I was there with my best friend Mary and her family. I got to travel north to visit the villages where Mary's parents are from! Fantastic! The people, weather, food and drink were all very welcoming! I remember one meal in particular, which I often think as being the best meal I have ever eaten... Cooked in the outdoor kitchen by Mary's aunts, was a large dish of baked chicken and rice with tomato, onion, garlic and fresh herbs. On the table sat feta cheese, olives, vegetable salad with salt and olive oil, bread and afterwards, fruit. The simplest of Greek food, but that's what made it so absolutely delicious! Everything served was fresh from the their farm! The chickens were their own, as was the feta, made from the milk from their goats. The olives and fruit were from the trees that surrounded the farmhouse. All of ingredients that went into the rice were from the garden. The vegetables for our salad were picked, washed, cut straight into the bowl and topped with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of farm pressed olive oil, just as we were sitting down to eat. Even the bread was baked in the outdoor kitchen that morning! Wow, I had never eaten like that before, nor have I since! So like I said, that feta cheese inspired me to make dinner and this is what I did...

Quick Recipe:

Greek inspired Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
(serves 4)

Tomato sauce:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, rough chop
* 1/4 cup wine, red or white (optional)
2 cloves garlic, rough chop
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp fresh oregano, rough chop
1/8 tsp cinnamon
28oz tin tomatoes, diced or whole (preferably unsalted)
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.in a large sauce pot, add the oil and cook the onions on medium heat for about 5 mins, add the wine and reduce
.stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano and cinnamon, cook for 1 minute
.stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper
.bring to a boil on high heat, turn down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes, remove from heat
.meanwhile, prepare meatballs...

Meatballs
(makes 8 large)

500gr/1 lb ground chicken
1 /2 onion, fine chop
2 clove garlic, fine chop
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, fine chop
1 tbsp fresh parsley, fine chop
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper

.combine all ingredients in a large bowl
.shape into meatballs (I made 8 large), ans place them in the pot with the sauce
.cover with a lid, return pot to a boil on high heat, reduce to a simmer medium low
.cook for 10 minutes, remove lid, turn the meatballs over and continue to cook with the lid off for another 5 to 10 minutes until done
.serve with a little additional crumble feta cheese if you like, kali orexi!

Now, it might seem like a lot, but this recipe is super easy! Just make sure your 'mis en place' is ready (all of your ingredients are chopped, etc.), before you get started! As pictured above, I served ours with rice and asparagus. Well, just wait until our Ontario produce is ready when we can make this again this summer and serve it up a lovely, fresh Greek salad! Can't wait! I hope you enjoy my Greek inspired meatballs. Even if you haven't been to Greece, you will definitely get a taste for all of those fantastic flavours that I love so much!