Revithokeftedes – chickpea balls from the island of Samos

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• olive oil
• 2 m.-large onion(s) or shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 250 g chickpeas, boiled or from the can
• 200 g potatoes
• 2 m.-sized eggs
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp mint, fresh, chopped
• 1 tsp sautéed oregano
• salt and pepper
• some chili
• some flour for dusting, for the hands

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

a vegetarian side dish for the Greek evening

Boil the potatoes. If cooking with the skin on, remove the skin before further processing. Finely dice the onions and garlic and sauté in olive oil until translucent. Mash the potatoes and chickpeas with a masher until as smooth as possible (if you prefer a chunkier texture, you can use less smooth). Then add the onions, garlic, and the remaining ingredients and mix. The mint isn’t required, but I think it goes perfectly with Greek side dishes. A little thyme or sage also works well. Let the dough rest for a few minutes before adding a little flour to form it into walnut-sized balls. Fry the balls in a pan over medium heat in plenty of olive oil. Serve with a dip, such as tzatziki or similar. An alternative recipe idea to my beloved kolokithokeftedes (zucchini balls):