Η συνταγή και στα ελληνικά στο τέλος της ανάρτησης!
Smyrna or Smýrni in Greek or Izmir in Turkish is the third largest city of Turkey. It is one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean found in 3,000 B.C. and was inhabited by Greeks from the ancient years until its destruction by the Turks in 1922. Although Christian Greek population has endured many slaughters throughout the years, in 1922 they were about 165,000. Ottoman Turks were 80,000, 55,000 Jews, 40,000 Armenians, 6,000 Levantines and 30,000 other foreigners. The language widely spoken was Greek and the Greek community played a major role in the economic activity of the city and also in its cultural life. My grandfather used to tell me that Greeks of Smyrna were so rich and cultured that they brought ballets and actors from Paris to entertain them. Turkish called the city Giaour Izmir which meant the non-Muslim Izmir.
In September of 1922 and after the departure of the defeated Greek army from Turkish arm, Turk soldiers under the commandment of Kemal Ataturk entered the city and slaughtered the majority of the Greek and Armenian community, put fire and burnt the city apart from the Muslim and Jewish areas. George Horton the American consul there wrote: “One of the keenest impressions which I brought away with me from Smyrna was a feeling of shame that I belonged to the human race.”
All in all, Greek military campaign in Turkey cost to Greece 25,000 dead soldiers, 600,000 dead civilians and 1,500,000 Greek refugees who left their homes forever and all came to Greece.
These people brought their culture, their customs and of course their food. Their kitchen was deeply influenced by Middle Eastern one which has dishes with rich sauces and plenty of spices. You can see also other dishes from this kitchen as Imam Bayildi, Little Eggplant Bites, Cilbir, Galaktoboureko, Little Chocolate Baklava Bites etc.
Soutzoukakia Smyrneika or İzmir köfte is a Greek and Turkish dish of spicy oblong köfte with cumin, cinnamon, and garlic served in tomato sauce. This dish along with others was brought by the refugees when they came here. It is a delicious dish, very aromatic and spicy, but not hot and it is best served over rice or pasta. I, personally, love to eat them with French fries soaking them in the red sauce. My grandmother who came from Asia Minor used to make these and my mother also. I continue the family tradition and make these meatballs for my husband and son. Meatballs are a dish everyone loves, kids and adults and if you want to jazz up your usual recipe try these ones, they won’t let you down.
- 1 kilo / 2 lb ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp salt and pepper according to your liking
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Olive oil or any oil you like for frying
- 4 cups tomato juice
- 70 gr. / 2.5 oz. tomato paste
- 3 tsp salt
- Pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ tbsp. sugar
- Add everything in a pot and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 1 ½ hour.
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and knead just until they are incorporated.
- Take a quantity equal to a small lime and make it an oval meatball.
- Do the same with the rest of the ground meat.
- Take about a cup of semolina or flour and flour them.
- Let them rest for 30 minutes and then fry them in very hot oil.
- You don’t have to fry them completely just about.
- Let them rest for about 10 minutes and then transfer them to the sauce.
- Let them cook for 15 to 20 minutes and serve them over rice, pasta or as I did over French fries.
- 1 κιλό μοσχαρίσιο κιμά
- 2 αυγά
- 2 κρεμμύδια, ψιλοκομμένα
- 2 σκελίδες σκόρδο, λιωμένες
- ¾ φλ. φρυγανιά
- 2 κ.γ. αλάτι και το πιπέρι σύμφωνα με τις προτιμήσεις σας
- 1 ½ κ.γ. κύμινο
- 1 κ.γ. αποξηραμένη ρίγανη
- 1 κ.γ. αποξηραμένο δυόσμο
- 1 κ.γ. πάπρικα
- ¼ φλ. ελαιόλαδο
- Ελαιόλαδο ή οποιοδήποτε λάδι σας αρέσει για το τηγάνισμα
- 4 φλ. χυμό ντομάτας
- 70 γρ. πάστα ντομάτας
- 3 κ.γ. αλάτι
- Πιπέρι
- 1 κ.γ. πάπρικα
- 1 κ.γ. μοσχοκάρυδο
- 1 κ.γ. κανέλα
- 1 ½ κ.σ. ζάχαρη
- Προσθέστε τα πάντα σε μια κατσαρόλα και βράστε.
- Μειώστε τη θερμότητα στο χαμηλό και αφήστε να σιγοβράσουν για 1 ½ ώρα.
- Αναμίξτε όλα τα συστατικά σε ένα μεγάλο μπολ και ζυμώστε έως ότου ομογενοποιηθούν.
- Πάρτε μια ποσότητα ίση με ένα μικρό λάιμ και φτιάξτε ένα οβάλ κεφτεδάκι.
- Κάντε το ίδιο με τον υπόλοιπο κιμά.
- Πάρτε περίπου ένα φλιτζάνι σιμιγδάλι ή αλεύρι και αλευρώστε τα.
- Αφήστε τα να ξεκουραστούν για 30 λεπτά και στη συνέχεια, τηγανίστε τα σε πολύ καυτό λάδι.
- Δεν χρειάζεται να τα τηγανίσετε εντελώς γιατί θα ψηθούν και στη σάλτσα.
- Αφήστε τα να ξεκουραστούν για περίπου 10 λεπτά και στη συνέχεια ταμεταφέρετε στη σάλτσα.
- Αφήστε τα να μαγειρευτούν για 15 έως 20 λεπτά και σερβίρετε πάνω από ρύζι, ζυμαρικά ή όπως έκανα πάνω από πατάτες τηγανιτές.
