Baked Lamb Meatballs 'Keftedes' with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Herbed Orzo - photo 1
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Baked Lamb Meatballs 'Keftedes' with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Herbed Orzo

Pikantne Main Dishes European cuisine Dishes for Special Occasions 75 min Medium 14 wyświetleń ~51.53 PLN - (0)
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Description

This dish is a tribute to Greek cuisine, combining traditional flavors in a modern, lighter version. Juicy, aromatic lamb meatballs, known as 'keftedes', are seasoned with fresh mint, parsley, and lemon zest, and then baked instead of fried, which gives them depth of flavor without unnecessary fat. The star of the show is the velvety, luxurious Avgolemono sauce – a classic Greek egg-lemon sauce that envelops the meatballs with its creamy, slightly tangy note. The whole dish is served on delicate orzo pasta, mixed with a generous amount of fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon zest, creating the perfect fresh counterpoint to the richness of the meat and sauce. The dish is incredibly elegant yet simple in its essence, perfect for a special dinner or a Sunday lunch with loved ones. It’s a culinary journey to the sunny shores of Greece, captured on one plate.

Ingredients (19)

Servings:
4
  • Ground lamb 500 g
  • Onion 1 szt.
  • Garlic 3 ząbki
  • Breadcrumbs 50 g
  • Egg 3 szt.
  • Fresh mint 0.5 pęczek
  • Fresh parsley 1 pęczek
  • Lemon zest 20 g
  • Lemon juice 80 ml
  • Extra virgin olive oil 0.4 łyżek
  • Chicken broth 500 ml
  • Corn flour 10 g
  • Orzo pasta 300 g
  • Fresh dill 0.5 pęczek
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Dried oregano 1 łyżeczka
  • Salt 12 g
  • Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony 2 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Feta cheese 50 g
  • Kalamata olives 50 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~51.53 PLN (12.88 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of meatballs

1

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Prepare a large baking tray by lining it with parchment paper. Peel the onion and grate it on a fine grater or chop it very finely. Peel the garlic and press it through a garlic press. Finely chop the fresh mint and half of the parsley (leave the rest for the orzo). Wash the lemon thoroughly and dry it, then zest it using a fine grater.

Ingredients: Onion, Garlic, Fresh mint, Fresh parsley, Lemon zest
Use a sharp knife to chop the herbs so you don't crush them. Grating the onion instead of chopping will make the meatballs more moist and uniform in flavor. Remember to only grate the yellow part of the lemon peel; the white part (albedo) is bitter.
2

In a large bowl, place the ground lamb. Add the grated onion, minced garlic, chopped herbs (mint and parsley), breadcrumbs, one egg, dried oregano, grated zest of one lemon, 5g of salt (about 1 flat teaspoon), and 2g of freshly ground black pepper. Gently but thoroughly mix all the ingredients with your hand, just until combined. Overmixing will make the meatballs tough.

Ingredients: Ground lamb, Onion, Garlic, Fresh mint, Fresh parsley, Breadcrumbs, Egg, Dried oregano, Lemon zest, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
It's best to mix the mixture by hand – you'll feel when the ingredients come together. Don't knead the meat too much. A well-mixed mixture should be uniform but still slightly fluffy.
3

Moisten your hands with a little water so the meat doesn't stick. Take portions of the meat mixture (about one heaping tablespoon) and shape them in your hands into neat, even balls about 3-4 cm in diameter, the size of a walnut. Place them at equal intervals on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Try to make all the meatballs the same size – this way they will bake evenly. From 500g of meat, you should get about 20-24 meatballs.

Baking meatballs

4

Place the tray with meatballs in the preheated oven at 200°C. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. The finished meatballs should be beautifully browned on the outside and fully cooked on the inside. To check, you can cut one meatball in half – there should be no raw, pink meat inside.

Baking time may vary depending on the oven and the size of the meatballs. After 15 minutes, it's a good idea to check how they look. Baking instead of frying is a healthier alternative that also helps avoid splattering fat.

Cooking Orzo Pasta

5

While the meatballs are baking, prepare the pasta. In a large pot, bring about 3 liters of water to a boil. When the water starts to boil, add a generous pinch of salt (about 5g). Add the orzo pasta and cook according to the package instructions, usually 8-10 minutes, until al dente (slightly firm to the bite). After cooking, drain the pasta in a colander.

Ingredients: Orzo pasta, Salt
Do not rinse the pasta with cold water after draining! Keeping the starch on its surface will help it better combine with the oil and herbs. Cooking in well-salted water is the key to tasty pasta.
6

Transfer the hot, drained orzo pasta back to the pot or to a large bowl. Immediately add 45 ml of extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons), the chopped remaining parsley, chopped fresh dill, and the zest of the second lemon. Mix thoroughly to ensure the oil and herbs evenly coat each grain of pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.

Ingredients: Orzo pasta, Extra virgin olive oil, Fresh parsley, Fresh dill, Lemon zest, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
Adding oil to hot pasta will prevent it from sticking together and will beautifully absorb the aromas of herbs and lemon. Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you have – its flavor will be distinctly noticeable here.

Preparation of Avgolemono sauce

7

In a medium saucepan, heat 500 ml of chicken broth over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low to keep the broth hot but not boiling.

Ingredients: Chicken broth
The broth must be hot, but not boiling, when combining with the eggs. Too high a temperature will cause the eggs to curdle, resulting in scrambled eggs instead of a smooth sauce.
8

In a separate bowl (preferably metal or glass), whisk 2 eggs until they become light yellow and slightly frothy (about 1-2 minutes of vigorous beating). In a small bowl, mix 10g of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until a smooth paste without lumps forms. While continuously whisking the eggs, slowly pour in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, followed by the cornstarch paste.

Ingredients: Egg, Lemon juice, Corn flour
Whipping the eggs vigorously at the beginning will aerate them and help create a creamier emulsion. Dissolving the flour in cold water before adding it to the eggs prevents lumps from forming in the sauce.
9

This is the most important step! With one hand, continue vigorously whisking the egg mixture. With your other hand, using a ladle, very slowly, almost drop by drop at first, pour the hot broth into the bowl with the eggs. Gradually increase the stream of broth, while continuously whisking. Pour in about 2-3 ladles of broth this way. This process, called tempering, slowly raises the temperature of the eggs, preventing them from curdling.

Ingredients: Chicken broth
Don't rush! Pouring in hot liquid too quickly is the most common mistake that can ruin the sauce. The key is patience and continuous, vigorous stirring. After adding 2-3 ladles, the bowl with the eggs should feel noticeably warm to the touch.
10

Once the eggs are tempered, pour the entire contents of the bowl back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot broth. Set the saucepan over the lowest heat. Heat the sauce, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk, for about 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens noticeably and has the consistency of thin pudding or cream. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT LET THE SAUCE BOIL!

Ingredients: Salt
If the sauce starts to boil, the eggs will curdle. Stir constantly, paying attention to the bottom and edges of the pot. When the sauce thickens, immediately remove it from the heat. Season to taste with salt (about 2g).

Final presentation

11

On the plates, place a portion of warm, herbed orzo. Arrange 5-6 roasted meatballs on top of the pasta. Generously drizzle with warm Avgolemono sauce. Optionally, to enhance the flavor and texture, sprinkle the dish with crumbled Feta cheese and a few Kalamata olives. Garnish with fresh mint or dill leaves.

Ingredients: Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, Fresh mint
Serve the dish immediately after preparation, when all elements are warm. The Avgolemono sauce tends to thicken as it cools.

Fun Fact

💡

Avgolemono sauce has ancient roots and likely originates from Sephardic cuisine, from where it made its way to Greece and the Balkans. It is considered one of the 'mother sauces' of Greek cuisine and serves as a base for many traditional soups and dishes, symbolizing the combination of simplicity (eggs, lemon) with a luxurious, creamy effect.

Best for

Elegancka kolacja we dwoje Niedzielny obiad rodzinny Spotkanie z przyjaciółmi Kiedy chcesz zaimponować gościom

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve immediately while the sauce is warm and velvety. A simple Greek salad (horiatiki) made with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and olives pairs perfectly with the dish. An ideal wine for this dish would be a chilled Greek white wine, such as Assyrtiko or Sauvignon Blanc.

🥡 Storage

It is best to store the components separately in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The meatballs and orzo can be easily reheated. The Avgolemono sauce is the most difficult to reheat - do it very gently in a water bath or over low heat, constantly stirring to prevent it from curdling. Do not use the microwave to reheat the sauce.

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