Soutzoukakia

Ingredients

For the meatballs (soutzoukakia)

800g	ground beef
4 cloves	garlic
2	eggs
1 tbsp	ground cumin
1/2 tsp	cinnamon
1/4	cup of olive oil
1 cup	breadcrumbs
	salt
	freshly ground pepper

For the tomato sauce

3	cups tomato juice (passata)
1	onion, grated
1	cup red wine
2 cloves	garlic
1 tbsp	tomato paste
olive oil
1	tsp sugar
	salt
	freshly ground pepper
1 tsp	cumin
1	bay leaf
2 tbsp	green olives, pitted (optional)

To prepare the soutzoukakia, knead all ingredients together and leave the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Shape into oblong meatballs and shallow fry gently in oil till golden brown. Alternatively for a lighter dish, bake the soutzoukakia till golden brown. To prepare the tomato sauce for the soutzoukakia, sauté the onion in olive oil. Add the squashed garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes until the onions are tender. Add the wine, the tomato juice, sugar, cumin, tomato paste, the bay leaf and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer, until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the fried/ baked soutzoukakia in the tomato sauce and stir gently, being careful not to brake them. Leave to simmer in low heat for 15 minutes, enabling the meatballs to absorb all the wonderful flavours from the tomato sauce. Serve the soutzoukakia (baked meatballs) while still hot with some rice or mashed potatoes and lots of tomato sauce. Enjoy!!