Many of us are spending much more time at home right now, and family cooking is becoming one of our new go-to pastimes. Food experts around the world have certainly noticed the changes in our cooking habits. Some are even predicting that this new cooking-at-home trend is here to stay. So why not involve your kids and teach a bit about culture at the same time?! These recipes for meatballs and tzatziki sauce are among my favorites and have long been part of my family. An added plus is that there are plenty of places along the way where kids can have fun helping out!
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients to be Mixed in the Blender
- A handful of fresh parsley and dill
- 2 eggs
- 2 small onions/1 big
- 3-4 big mature tomatoes
- 1 carrot (medium size)
- A spoonful dried oregano
- Pepper/salt
Other Ingredients
- 600gr (a little over 1lb.) fresh minced beef
- 400gr (a little under 1lb.) fresh minced pork (or just beef if your family doesn’t eat pork)
- Bread crumbs/old bread (but not the crust), dipped into water and then the water squeezed out
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients with your hands in a big bowl. If needed, add more tomatoes or water
- Let stand in the fridge for 30 minutes
- Mold the meatballs
- Put some extra virgin olive oil on the cooking tray and then place the meatballs
- If desired, place small slices of tomatoes on top of each meatball. Or, put a few more tomatoes in the blender and pour the juice over the meatballs. This can really enhance the flavor!
- Preheat the oven to 250°C (450°F) and cook for approximately 30 minutes.
Add a little tzatziki – either on a Greek salad or as a sauce for the meatballs – to complete your delicious meal!
Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber Yogurt Dip)
Tzatziki is the perfect complement to grilled meats and vegetables. There are different variations, but this is the way we always made it at home.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
500gr (16oz.) of full-fat Greek yogurt
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced (2-3 cloves if you don’t like a strong garlic flavor)
2/3 of 1 cucumber, trimmed, all juice squeezed out with your hands
2 big spoons extra virgin olive oil
2 big spoons white vinegar
A handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
A pinch of salt
Instructions
Place all ingredients into a bowl. Mix with a spoon until well combined. If you can wait, let it chill for a while in the fridge before serving.
Variations: Mint is my personal favorite, but you can replace it with dill or grated carrot.
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I love this! Greek food is so similar to Persian food, such as mast-o khiar – that’s the equivalent of tzatziki. Some of the best dishes in the world. A great recipe for young ones to get involved in making too.