Recipe Greek Mezze: Olive Studded Keftedes & Orange Dusted Flour

Francesca

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A dear friend of many years who is an Extra Virgini Olive Oil producer of the gold award winning Bio Organic Evoo in Peloponnese, Evdominda, had given me this recipe a few years ago, and I have been re-organising my cookbooks via country and / or province / región to make my culinary projects and research much easier.

Olive Studded Keftedes Seared in Orange Flour ..

For the Orange Flour Dusting:

The zest of 6 Oranges of choice without any White pith ..
Bio organic unbleached flour or chickpea flour
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Keftedes:

1 / 2 Kilo ground beef
1 / 2 Kilo ground porc or lamb
1 large red onion grated or minced
3 small red ripe juicy tomatoes
2 tblsps of Dried Greek or Moroccan spearmint herb ( Middle Eastern stores supply )
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
150 ml. of Bio organic whole milk
50 grams of breadcrumbs ( 1 / 2 cup )
Pitted Green cracked Mediterranean olives ( 1 1 / 2 cups )
1 orange of choice of the zest ( 1 1 / 2 cups )
Evoo Greek or Hojiblanca Spanish Evoo (both are very light )

To Prepare:

1) Blanch the strips of the orange zest several times in boiling wáter to remove of the bitterness ..
2) Remove and pat dry with paper towelling and place in a very low oven for 1 hour so they do not dry out.
3) Grind in spice grinder ..
4) Combine with the flour and black pepper and set aside ..
5) Combine the 2 meats or if you prefer beef only or lamb or porc only and place in a large glass
bowl ..
6) Add the dried spearmint herb, tomatoes de-seeded & peeled, and the salt and black pepper and knead for 3 minutes until all are absorbed into the meat ..
7) Gently pour in the milk and continue kneading until all is absorbed ..
8) Now add a few tablsps of of bread crumbs and then, add the olives and zest and re-knead to combine ..
9) Cover the glass bowl for 2 to 3 hours so the flavors meld and the mixture firms up ..
10) Alternatively, spread the mixture into a thin layer, on a baking sheet and place in refrig for 20 minutes ..

To form the Keftedes:

a ) shape the keftedes in smal oval meatballs or circular if you prefer ..
b) roll in the orange dust flour and sauté in Greek Evoo until Golden and cooked through ..
c) remove and let rest on paper towelling ..
4) serve room temperature with Pita, or Focaccia and a Greek Salad .. And a lovely Rose or Santorini Red or a Sparkling Rose Wine from Veneto, .Prosecco.

NOTE: Yield is 30 Keftedes ..
 
Last edited:
@Elawin

Ouzo and milk are not the best of marriages, but if you wish to add Ouzo, this is up to you ..
The recipe I use for plain keftethes does not use oranges, and has eggs instead of milk, and ouzo or lemon juice. If the keftethes are going to be eaten cold, they can be wrapped in lemon leaves for a short time too.
 
For the Orange Flour Dusting:

The zest of 6 Oranges of choice without any White pith ..
Bio organic unbleached flour or chickpea flour
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

I love this idea of the orange dusting - I'm going to steal the idea to use elsewhere! :D
 
I love this idea of the orange dusting - I'm going to steal the idea to use elsewhere! :D

@morning glory

Yes, the orange zest flour dusting provides aromas unsurpassed and these Keftedes are very light ..

Have a nice day .. One can sub lemon if preferred but I prefer the orange aromatically .. I use Israeli Double Skin Navel Orange Zest ..
 
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