The island of Santorini is famous and very popular holiday destination. Is also famous for “ntomatokefteses”, tomato meatballs, which are an excellent appetizer for ouzo or a cold beer. Here a gluten free & oven baked version.
Santorini’s tomato meatballs are normally made with cherry tomatoes that have to grow there with little low watering because they island has a lack of water and for that reason they are sweeter. Also, this dish considered that they are the meatballs of the poor.
I call them summer bites because they contain all the aromas of summer in one bite!
The traditional tomato meatballs are fried, but here I suggest you bake them in the oven, for less fat, since our sedentary lifestyle does not help us to burn those extra fats from the fried tomato meatballs.
One thing is certain, tomato meatballs are an excellent appetizer for ouzo or a cold beer.
Tip: Check off the ingredients you have used in the recipe or note the ingredients you have and add the rest to you shopping list to buy them. - Attention: All ingredients must be checked that are Gluten-Free and without traces of gluten.
Abbreviations: g=grams • kg= kilograms • cup=250 ml • tsp= teaspoon=5 ml • tbsp= tablespoon=3 tsp=15 ml • ml= millilitre= (1ml=0.034 fl oz / 1fl oz=29.6 ml) • l=litre/liter=1000ml
Turn on the oven at 200°C / 400°F to preheat it.
Chop the tomatoes in a food processor or by hand. If you use the food processor, be careful not to mash them. And pour them into a bowl.
In a food processor, chop the onion together with the all fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, spearmint, dill). And add them to the bowl with the chopped tomatoes.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix all together.
Spread parchment paper on a baking tray.
Shape the tomato meatballs one by one and place them on the parchment paper. If it sticks to our hands too much, we can dip our hands in water or oil.
After shaping them all, bake them for about 25 minutes at 200°C / 400°F.
Ingredients
Directions
Turn on the oven at 200°C / 400°F to preheat it.
Chop the tomatoes in a food processor or by hand. If you use the food processor, be careful not to mash them. And pour them into a bowl.
In a food processor, chop the onion together with the all fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, spearmint, dill). And add them to the bowl with the chopped tomatoes.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix all together.
Spread parchment paper on a baking tray.
Shape the tomato meatballs one by one and place them on the parchment paper. If it sticks to our hands too much, we can dip our hands in water or oil.
After shaping them all, bake them for about 25 minutes at 200°C / 400°F.
- If your mixture turns out thin enough, then you can do one of the following:
- Set it aside for 10-15min and the flour and breadcrumbs will absorb the extra liquid.
- You can add extra breadcrumbs or some flour.
- Do nothing at all. Simply instead of shaping them, you place them in the pan with the help of two spoons. Their shape may not be perfectly round, but they will definitely be fluffier.
- If your mixture is quite thick, then you can add a little more chopped tomato or a little water.
- If you put feta cheese in the filling, pay attention to the salt you put in at the tomato meatballs, because the feta is already salty by itself.
- If you fry them, you will need a the batter to be more runny, and you pour it into the hot oil with the help of 2 spoons.
- Usually fried tomato meatballs are much tastier, but they are very heavy and have a lot of calories. The choice is yours!
- You can also serve them with greek yogurt dip. Just put some paprika and chopped fresh spearmint and mix it.
Good Luck and Bon Appétit!!!
Did you make this recipe?
I don’t want to miss any of your creations!
Take a photo & upload it to Instagram tagging me @vivoglutenfreecom so I can also be proud for you.
31