Guest chef Kathy Tsaples’ Greek rissoles
These cumin-flavoured rissoles are the legacy of Greeks who once lived in Turkey. Serve with crusty bread and Greek salad.
These cumin-flavoured, sausage-shaped rissoles are the legacy of Greeks who once lived in Turkey. Serve with crusty bread and Greek salad, a classic that relies on the use of the freshest seasonal ingredients.
Tsoutzoukakia in tomato sauce
1½ kg minced lamb and beef
100g fresh breadcrumbs
2 onions, very finely chopped or grated
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
Bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of allspice
1 egg, beaten
2 x 400g cans of tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 tablespoon tomato paste
250ml chicken stock
1 teaspoon sugar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 100ml for the sauce
Pinch of chilli flakes
Feta cheese, to serve
Combine the minced meat, breadcrumbs, onion, half the garlic, parsley, spices and a good grinding of pepper and salt in a bowl. Stir in the egg and knead the mixture for about 5 minutes until a paste forms. Leave in the fridge for about an hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. Combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, sugar, 100ml of olive oil, remaining garlic, chilli flakes, plus some salt and pepper, in a large saucepan with a wide base. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 30 minutes. With dampened hands, take the meat mixture and form sausage shapes about 9cm long. Fry in the remaining olive oil until brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the tomato sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Crumble some feta cheese over and serve on a beautiful platter. Serves 4. From Sweet Greek: Simple Food & Sumptuous Feasts by Kathy Tsaples (Melbourne Books, $44.95).
Horiatiki salata
4 sweet ripe tomatoes
1 continental cucumber, peeled (if it’s from your garden you can leave the skin on)
1 red onion
½ cup lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons kalamata olives
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
200g good-quality Greek feta
Slice the onion into thin rings and soak in the lemon juice for about half an hour. Slice the tomatoes and cucumbers – try to make them an even size – and combine in a bowl with the onion and olives. Sprinkle with the oregano and finish off with red wine vinegar, salt and olive oil. Mix well, then top with feta cheese. You can add tuna for a hearty lunch, or serve alongside meat, fish or chicken. Serves 4. From Sweet Greek: Simple Food & Sumptuous Feasts by Kathy Tsaples (Melbourne Books, $44.95).
Read more: Fasoulatha and zucchini fritters by Kathy Tsaples
The Melbourne-born daughter of Greek migrants, Kathy Tsaples is owner of the Sweet Greek store at Prahran Market. Edited extract from her cookbook Sweet Greek: Simple food & sumptuous feasts (Melbourne Books, $44.95). Photography: John Laurie