TOMATOKEFTEDES (FRIED TOMATO BALLS)

The tomatokeftedes (fried tomato balls) recipe originates from Santorini and is a perfect companion to ouzo and beer under the starry sky. It's like vegetarian meatballs where meat is substituted for tomatoes. The sweetness of the tomatoes, the fragrances of the herbs and the delicate flavor of the olive oil make this dish a healthy and tasty delicacy for your summer dinners and finger food parties. Hope you try it out and let me know, in the comment section below, your thoughts.

ingredients

500 gr. tomatoes

2 medium sized onions, finely chopped

6 tbsp basil, finely chopped

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

5 tbsp olive oil

150 gr. all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Olive oil for frying

steps
1 Chop the tomatoes and keep only the flesh. Cut it into small pieces and add some salt. Let them strain inside a colander for approx. 30 minutes. We want them to be as dry as possible.

2 In a bowl, mix the chopped tomatoes, the onions, the herbs, salt, pepper and the oil. In another bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder.

3 Stir the flour mix into the vegetables mix until combined. The final mixture must be thick enough to make the balls (but not as thick as a bread dough). If needed, add some more flour. 

4 Add enough olive oil in a frying pan (so as to cover its bottom) and heat it to medium temperature. Use a spoon to create the balls. As the mixture is considerably wet, you won't be able to form it with your hands. Dip the spoon in a glass of water to avoid the dough sticking on it, get a spoonful of the mixture and put it into the hot oil. Fry the balls for approx. 2-3 minutes on each side, until they get a nice golden crispy hue. Place them on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil.

P.s. I like to add some smashed feta cheese in the dough as well. It makes them a tad more spicy.

Καλή όρεξη!



Image via Food From Many Greek Kitchens by Tessa Kiros.