Soutzoukakia Smyrneika

Smyrna's cumin-heavy meatballs in red wine and tomato sauce: carried to Greece by refugees, one of the defining flavours of the Greek table

Origin: Smyrna (İzmir), Turkey / Greece

From the journey of Cumin.

Soutzoukakia Smyrneika, the meatballs of Smyrna, were brought to Greece in 1922 by refugees fleeing the destruction of the city of Smyrna (modern İzmir) during the Greco-Turkish War. The name derives from the Turkish sosis (sausage) and the Greek diminutive, and the recipe is defined by one thing above all others: a heavy, unapologetic use of cumin that distinguishes it entirely from Italian-style meatballs. This is the primary expression of cumin in Greek cuisine; cumin arrived in Greece from the eastern Mediterranean and remained embedded in the Smyrna and Asia Minor cooking tradition. The meatballs are elongated rather than round, simmered in a red wine tomato sauce, and served over rice or mashed potato.

Ingredients

Meatballs

500 g ground beef or lamb (or a mix)
3 slices stale bread, crusts removed and soaked in red wine for 5 minutes
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
to taste salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil, for frying

Sauce

3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
100 ml dry red wine
400 g canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
to taste salt

Method

Squeeze the wine-soaked bread to remove excess liquid; you want it moist but not dripping. In a bowl, combine the ground meat, squeezed bread, grated onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Knead for 3–4 minutes until the mixture is cohesive and slightly sticky.
Shape the mixture into elongated oval cylinders, about 7–8cm long; not round balls. This shape is the defining characteristic of soutzoukakia.
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside; they do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
In the same pan, add more olive oil and cook the diced onion for 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble and reduce by half.
Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, and a pinch of cumin. Stir and bring to a simmer.
Return the meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes, turning once, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Serve over white rice or mashed potato. The sauce should be plentiful and should coat every surface. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

The cumin in soutzoukakia is not subtle; it is the defining flavour. Many Greek recipes call for 1 tsp, but the authentic Smyrna tradition uses more. Taste the raw mixture before shaping and adjust. The dish freezes extremely well, making it ideal for batch cooking. Leftovers the next day are arguably better than freshly made.

The Gastrographer

Name: Soutzoukakia Smyrneika
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Turkey / Greece
Ingredients: 500 g ground beef or lamb (or a mix); 3 slices stale bread, crusts removed and soaked in red wine for 5 minutes; 1 small onion, grated; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; to taste salt and black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil, for frying; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 small onion, finely diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 100 ml dry red wine; 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp sugar; to taste salt

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control