About this recipe
The mint is not a garnish in keftedes, it is structural, and there should be enough of it that you taste it in every bite. Soaking the gluten-free breadcrumbs in milk first keeps the meatballs tender through a long simmer.
Ingredients
- 300 g beef mincearound 15 percent fat
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoestwo 400g tins
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
- 20 g fresh mintfinely chopped
- 1 egg large eggsbeaten
- 4 cloves garlic clovescrushed
- 1 large onionhalf grated, half finely chopped
- 60 ml whole milk
- 60 g gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 300 g lamb mince
Method
- 1
Put the gluten-free breadcrumbs in a large bowl and pour over the milk. Leave for five minutes until they have swelled into a soft paste.
Gluten-free crumbs are thirstier than wheat ones. If the mixture still looks dry after five minutes, add a splash more milk rather than pressing on.
- 2
Add both minces, the grated half onion, three of the crushed garlic cloves, the beaten egg, the mint, parsley, half the oregano, the cumin, cinnamon, half the salt and half the pepper.
- 3
Mix with your hands until just combined, working quickly and stopping as soon as the herbs are evenly distributed. Chill the bowl for 20 minutes.
Overworking mince makes bouncy, dense meatballs. A light hand and a rest in the fridge gives a much softer result.
- 4
Roll into 20 balls slightly smaller than a golf ball, wetting your hands between each few so the mixture does not stick.
- 5
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in two batches, turning until coloured on all sides. Lift them out onto a plate; they will not be cooked through yet.