So many ways...

to prepare meatballs in Greece!  Seriously!  I think every region in Greece has a different way to prepare meatballs.  And I'm not talking about whether they come with tomato sauce or not.  I'm talking about that even if they do come with tomato sauce their recipes are different depending who you ask.  The types?  Many as well.  Grilled, fried, baked, boiled etc.  I think that when one visits a Greek restaurant abroad and they are served gyros or lamb most of the times, they should be also served any type of meatball, because it is also a common dish here.  
In my opinion, my mom makes the best fried meatballs.  THE BEST!  Not because she is my mom (could be because of that too :)) but they are delicious!  They are one dish that we will cook and post soon.  So regarding the fried type of meatball we will post the best but we will also write about other variations too :)  
For today, Kostas is at work and I decided to cook one dish that has so many variations.  The name is Soutzoukakia Smyrneika and what it literally means spicy meatballs from Izmir (before known as Smyrna).  The dish was brought to Greece by the refugees that came from Asia Minor and it comes in its simple form, as in not too many spices are used in it, and in its complicated form by using many different aromatic spices.  We will post the complicated one when I manage to find all the spices that I want in order to cook it.  So for today I am going to use the recipe of Kostas' grandmother and change it a little.  She uses bread, but I will have to use bread crumbs since the bread here is very fluffy and not good for this recipe.  And the recipe I'm gonna call it Smyrna Meatballs.  Regardless what people add to this recipe or don't add, it has one thing that everybody has to add and that is garlic.  And a lot!  It has a lot of garlic. So if you are planning to go on a date...this is not the dish you should eat before.  Unless of course you and your date eat it together which would not in this case cause any issues :)  Meatballs with garlic it is then!  And they are cooked in rich tomato sauce, and served with aromatic pilaf rice!  They are truly delicious even in their simple form!  
Kali Oreksi!
Dia, Kostas and Tony 

Smyrna meatballs

Ingredients for 3 people:

For the meatballs

• 500g ground beef
  
• 30g breadcrumbs
  
• 25ml + 25ml extra virgin olive oil
  
• 10ml + 10ml vinegar
  
• 15g crushed garlic
  
• 150g tomato sauce
  
• 1 + 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 + 1/4 tsp pepper
  
• 320ml water
  

For the pilaf

• 200g rice
  
• 600ml water
  
• 30g butter
  
• 15ml olive oil
  
• 4 pieces allspice
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 40g almonds

for more information on how to make the Smyrna meatballs please click here