Soutzoukakia Greek Smyrna Meatballs In Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the bread in the wine for about 5 minutes, or until thoroughly softened.
• Then, squeeze out and reserve the excess wine.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the wine soaked bread, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, grated cheese, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix the ingredients until thoroughly blended.
• Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
• Dampen your hands, pinch off small portions of meat mixture, about the quantity of a teaspoon or just over, and shape into approximately 20 oval rolls (looks sort of like an elongated, slightly flattened, meatball).
• Dredge them in flour.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the meatballs and fry until browned all over, turning occasionally and allowing time for the meat to cook thoroughly. (alternatively, if you want a 'lighter' recipe, you could just brown in a non-stick pan or bake them in the oven - not as flavourful, but still good).
• Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Strain the oil you fried the meatballs in through a fine sieve into a cooking pan.
• Add all the sauce ingredients, and the reserved wine.
• Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thick.
• Drop in the meatballs, stir to cover all over with the sauce, and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice, french fries, or mashed potatoes.

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and sauté onion until soft. Stir in garlic. Add tomatoes and their juice, squeezing tomatoes to break them up. Bring to a boil. Add wine and sugar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Add pepper flakes and butter, simmer 1 to 2 minutes, and set aside until needed. (Sauce may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Reheat before using.)
• For the sausages: Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Knead until blended. Add egg and wine, and knead again until well mixed. Add just enough bread crumbs to give body to mixture so that meatballs will hold their shape when formed. Mix in enough extra-virgin olive oil to make mixture glossy and elastic.
• Shape meat mixture into sausages about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Dredge in flour and set aside. Place a heavy skillet over medium heat, and add about 1/2 inch olive oil. When oil shimmers, add sausages in a single layer. Brown on one side, then turn and brown the other. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Lightly oil an 8-by-10-inch shallow casserole, or other baking dish in which sausages will fit in a single layer. Pour sauce evenly on top of meat, and bake until lightly browned on top, about 40 minutes. If desired, serve with mashed potatoes.