Ouzi – Boozy Greek Meaballs
When I lived at home after college my mom and I had a ritual which we lovingly refer to as ‘Ouzo time’.
Get comfy and crack open a bottle of Barbayannis or Plomari (or Metaxa if you’re desperate enough – no offense Metaxa) and pour a few shots. Chase with a bowl of pistachios and solve the world’s neediest problems.
(In case you’re wondering – ouzo, is an anise [similar to fennel or black licorice] flavored liquor usually drank as an aperitif alongside mezze or other Greek appetizers.)
Anyway, 2 hours later, ouzo downed, fully buzzed and unable to recall the results of our international resuscitative efforts, we toppled, happily into dinner making.
Valiant racers of inebriation, start your engines.
Sometimes dinner became a much loved grilled cheese and milk$. But sometimes, Greek thoroughfare prevailed.
One of our favs lies below – A couple of ouzo’d up greeks cooking some ouzo’d up Greek meatballs.
Feeds 6-8; Take 1.5 ish hours
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 2-3lbs ground pork
- 1 head garlic (roasted, cooled and squeezed)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup ouzo
- 3 tbsp EVOO
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper
Method:
Ahead of time, roast 1 whole head of garlic. Cut the garlic tops off, wrap in aluminum foil with a glug of good olive oil. Roast at 400F for 45 min.
When the garlic is cooking, assemble the meat. In a large bowl combine ground beef, pork, eggs, salt and pepper, mix minimally.
Allow mixture to rest until garlic is cooled.
Squeeze garlic into meat batter and mix.
Add olive oil, cinnamon and ouzo and mix gently again until everything is just incorporated.
*I usually pan fry one meatball up at this time to make sure my seasoning is on point.
Roll into small balls and line a sheet tray. Bake at 350F for 20-25 min. Allow to rest under foil for 5-10 min after removing from oven. Serve with tzatziki.
** You could also pan fry all the balls and then bake, which gives a great crusty exterior but is significantly more time consuming.
^*^Feel free to double the recipe and freeze the leftovers.
$ Milk, is supposed to curtail the deleterious hangover effects a bottle of ouzo may potentiate. But, I would say, do it anyway.
Yamas! And as always, Opa!
Can’t get enough Greek food? Try Yiayia’s Avgolemono (lemon chicken soup). These would be served along side some other Mezze with Halloumi Saganaki…Or Souvlaki with Homemade Pita…Or Pork Dolmades…
