Smyrna_meatballs
Smyrna meatballs
Greek and Turkish dish of sauced meatballs
Smyrna meatballs, known as soutzoukakia Smyrneika (Greek: σουτζουκάκια σμυρναίικα) or İzmir köfte (Turkish), is a Greek and Turkish dish of spicy oblong meatballs with cumin and garlic served in tomato sauce. This dish was brought to Greece by refugees from Asia Minor.[1][2]
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The Greek version is typically made with minced meat (usually beef, also mixed with lamb or pork), bread crumbs, egg, garlic, and parsley, and generously spiced with cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. They are floured before being fried in olive oil. The tomato sauce has tomato, wine, onion, garlic, a bayleaf, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Soutzoukakia are generally served with pilaf or mashed potatoes.[1][2]
Turkish recipes for İzmir köfte are very similar, though without pork, and often also include sliced potatoes, diced tomatoes, hot pepper flakes, or other variations.[3][4]