Lamb Meatballs with Feta, Lemon and Mint

By garciamoss

Ingredients

• Meatballs:
• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cup (about 70 grams) breadcrumbs, fresh or plain, such as Panko
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (55 grams) crumbled feta cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons (35 grams) tomato paste
• Zest of half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sauce:
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• A couple glugs of red wine or white/dry vermouth (optional)
• 1 28-ounce (795 grams) can of crushed or pureed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Zest of half a lemon
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon table salt
• Pinches of red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 1/3 cup (about 45 grams) pitted, chopped kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) crumbled feta, for garnish

Details

Adapted from smittenkitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. I like to do this with a fork. Using wet hands, form mixture into small (1 1/2 to 2-inch diameter) meatballs; I have taken to using a large (just shy of 3 tablespoon) cookie scoop for easy sizing.

Brown meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat it through. Evenly space meatballs in pan and very carefully turn and roll them so that all sides become brown. Don’t worry if they don’t remain perfectly round; mine never do. Don’t worry if some pieces become stuck to the pan; they will deliciously infuse the sauce in a minute. Drain meatballs on a paper towel-lined plate.

[If you prefer not to fry your meatballs before cooking them in the sauce, you can cook them right in the sauce -- it will take about 10 minutes longer.]

Make sauce and finish cooking meatballs: Pour out all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and return to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine or vermouth and scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Cook until the liquid almost disappears. Add tomatoes, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper flakes, olives (if you’re using them now), mint and parsley. Bring mixture to a simmer and return meatballs to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook at the lowest simmer for 20 to 24 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice over meatballs and sauce.

Serve: Sprinkled with additional olives, feta and herbs. We had this with orzo and a Greek salad.