In winter, also in Greece, everyone’s looking for ways to keep warm! Cooking warm Greek food might be a good idea? In most of your countries the winter and cold last many months, so what could be better than a hot, tasty dish from Greece’s great culinary tradition?
Let’s learn how to make soutzoukakia (Greek sausage to those who don’t know):
The word soutzoukaki (soo-tzoo-KAH-kyah) comes from the Turkish “soutzouk” or sausage. These meatballs are shaped like little sausage cylinders. They are lightly fried and then bathed in a wine-sweetened tomato sauce. They hail from Smyrni or modern day Izmir, and the spices are more Turkish than Greek, however they have been adopted by most Greeks as a traditional favorite.
Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 lb. loaf of crusty white bread with crusts removed
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable or corn oil for frying
• 1 1/2 cups sweet red wine, such as Mavrodaphne
(Tastes as Porto and really nice ! Do not drink too much while cooking!)
• 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Preparation:
Soak the bread with water and then add 1/2 cup of sweet wine. Let the bread absorb the liquid for a few minutes. Squeeze out the liquid from the bread, crumble it and add to the meat mixture.
Add the garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix well and incorporate all the ingredients. Take a portion of meat about the size of a large walnut and form a sausage.
Heat about an inch of vegetable oil and carefully add the soutzoukakia to the pan. Fry them until lightly browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
While the soutzoukakia are frying, you prepare the sauce. Add a ¼ cup of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato sauce, sugar, and cinnamon and remaining cup of wine as well as a can full of water.
Boil the sauce on a medium high heat until some of the water has evaporated and the sauce has thickened. Return the soutzoukakia to the pan, heat to a boil, and then remove from the heat. Allow them to absorb the sauce to become tender before serving. Serve with potato puree, rice pilaf, or fried potatoes.
Time to taste some wonderful Greek food!
