Fried balls of taste!

You could fry it or bake it, you could serve it as a meze or a main dish, pair it with horta (boiled greens with fresh lemon juice and olive oil) or fried potatoes, describe it as an easy to cook dish, comfort food, kids food, you could say so many things about keftedakia and still don’t grasp the essence of its taste unless you literally taste it in Greece!

So, most of the times keftedakia are bite-size meatballs made from ground beef or ground pork or sheep or a mixture, along with herbs such as parsley or dill and then fried in olive oil.

Soutzoukakia, here’s a recipe by MyGreekDish

If you change a bit the recipe and add some red, tomato, cumin and cinnamon sauce you have “soutzoukakia”, if you knead the meatball mixture with rice and throw on top an egg-lemon sauce you have “youvarlakia” (recipe by MyGreekDish), if instead of meat you use tomato you have “domatokeftedes”, or fennel you have marathokeftedes and so the story of the Greek kefte goes….

For people growing up in the 80’s, keftedakia was a typical, easy dish your grandma would prepare to please you, and your mother will serve it at your (or a grownups) party, ‘cause it’s tasty either served hot or at room temperature.

Keftedes with horta and trahana, deliciousness at Ama Laxei!

Want some history? The word keftes is a loan from the respective Turkish “Koftes” but it actually derives from the ancient Hellenic words “Koptos” and “Koptê” meaning copped small or pounded, and lozenge or pastille. (Source argyrou.net).

I love keftedes and all veggie fritters prepared throughout Greece in a broad variety, so if you’re visiting go ahead and give this dish a try!

To give you an idea:

Recipe for juicy keftedakia by Cook Like Greeks

Tinos fennel fritters aka marathokeftedes served at Myronia Restaurant at Pyrgos, recipe by MyGreekDish