Soutzoukakia (Greek meatballs in tomato sauce)

Ingredients

For the meatballs (should yield approx. 30 meatballs):

500g finely minced meat (preferably a mix of 250g lamb and 250g beef or veal)
1 large onion, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp vinegar
250g Green Cracked Olives
100g bread (soaked in water and then squeezed dry)
1 medium egg
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
500g lightly concentrated tomato sauce
1 glass white wine
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
½ cup Amphoreus Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

Put the onion, bread, egg, salt, pepper, cumin parsley vinegar and oregano in a food processor and blend well.
Place the mixture in a bowl, add the minced meat and mix together with your hands.
Take approx 1tbsp of the mixture and form it into an oval shape meatball, continue until all the mixture has been used.
Oil a flat oven-proof dish or deep baking tray and place the meatballs side by side in one layer.
Bake in the middle of a very hot, pre-heated oven (200°C) for 20 minutes until the tops become brown. Remove and pour the wine over them. Return to the oven while you prepare the tomato sauce.
In a large jug, mix together the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, olive oil, olives and garlic (optional).
Remove the meatballs and pour tomato and olive sauce mix over them.
Return to the oven and bake until the sauce begins to bubble (about 5 minutes) then reduce the temperature to 180°C and cook for a further 20 minutes.