Greek-Style Flatbread: Lamb Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Greek Yogurt

When Elie and I went on our honeymoon to the Greek islands, our first stop was Paros, where we fell in love with the tiny island and its narrow winding roads, never-ending views of the sea, gracious people and beautiful food.  Ever since we left, I’ve been dreaming of a dish we had at Thea, a restaurant with a stunning view of the water and the island of Antiparos:  tender meatballs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce and served on top of a grilled flatbread with thick Greek yogurt.     

It’s taken me a year-and-a-half to recreate this dish, but I think it was worth the wait. 

It's the same idea as the dish at Thea, but with a twist: savory lamb meatballs simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and served on grilled flatbread with roasted cauliflower, pine nuts and a big dollop of Greek yogurt.  The tomato sauce is dangerous, because I could just stand at the stove and eat spoonful after spoonful until the pot is empty.  Rich with olive oil and warm with smoked paprika, allspice and cinnamon, it’s the perfect simmering bath for tender lamb meatballs.  For the meatballs, I used ground lamb combined with shredded zucchini, a trick from the turkey kebabs in Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook, which adds great moisture to the meatballs and keeps them very tender.  I wanted more vegetables to create a complete meal, so I added roasted cauliflower.  For the flatbread, I used my standard whole wheat pizza dough recipe, grilling the dough for a smoky char.  A garnish of toasted pinenuts, fresh parsley and a big dollop of Greek yogurt and I’m back at Thea.

Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list, because most of it is just spices that you already have in your pantry.  It took me less than an hour to make this dinner, start to finish (not including letting the flatbread dough rise).  You could also make each of the components ahead of time and then just reheat and serve.

  

Greek-Style Flatbread: Lamb Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce on Grilled Flatbread with Greek Yogurt

Serves 4, with extra meatballs

For the sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, cut in small dice

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 red bell pepper, cut in medium dice

1 clove garlic, sliced

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup white wine

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 strip of lemon peel*

For the meatballs

1 pound ground lamb

1 zucchini, shredded

1 egg

¼ cup parsley leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Zest of half a lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

For the cauliflower

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

1 whole wheat pizza dough, store bought or from our recipe

Extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Extra parsley leaves, for garnish

Greek yogurt

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

First, make the sauce.  Heat a large pot over medium heat.  Add the olive oil, chopped onion, salt and red pepper flakes and cook until the onion is translucent and very tender, about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add the chopped red pepper and garlic clove and cook another 5 minutes, or until the pepper is starting to soften.  Add all of the spices and stir them into the onions and pepper, coating them in the oil.  Let them toast in the oil for a minute or two.  Add the white wine, crushed tomatoes, black pepper and lemon zest and stir.  Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Let the sauce cook while you make the meatballs.

Next, make the meatballs.  Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl and mix well with your hands.  The mixture will feel rather wet.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Start forming the lamb mixture into balls, a little smaller than golf balls.  You’ll get about 12 – 15 meatballs.  Gently place the meatballs in the pan, being sure not to crowd the pan.  You will probably have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan.  Once they have browned on one side, gently roll them to the other side to brown.  If they are sticking, add a little olive oil to the pan.  How much olive oil you need depends on how much fat is in your ground lamb.  Once they are browned on all sides, about 5 minutes, remove them from the pan and place them in the pot of sauce to finish cooking.  These are very tender meatballs, so if some of them fall apart, don’t worry!  Just add the pieces to the sauce.  Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for at least 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

Next, roast the cauliflower.  Place the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet.  Add the olive oil and salt and toss to coat.  Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until deeply golden brown.  Remove the pan from the oven.

While the cauliflower is roasting, grill the flatbread.  Heat your grill to at least 500 degrees.  Divide your pizza or flatbread dough into 4 equal pieces.  Roll or press the dough into a circle about 6 inches in diameter.  You don’t want the dough to be too thin, because you want it to stay tender instead of crispy.  Brush the dough with olive oil.  Place the dough directly on the grates of the grill and then close the lid of the grill to trap in the heat.  Wait about 1 – 2 minutes and then check the bottom of the flatbread.  If it lifts easily, turn the dough to the other side and let it cook for 1 – 2 minutes on the other side, or until it’s cooked through.  If the bottom of the dough seems like it is going to burn, turn off the burners on one side of the grill and place the dough on that side.  Let them continue to cook until done all the way through.  Remove from the heat.

To assemble, top each flatbread with about three or meatballs with sauce.  Garnish with roasted cauliflower, pine nuts, fresh parsley and a big dollop of Greek yogurt.

Enjoy, preferably with a glass of red wine and someone you love!              

Disclaimer:  McKenzie and I are consulting dietitians for the Tri-Lamb Group, Lean on Lamb.

Slow-Cooker Recipe Round-Up

When you’re short on time but still want a home cooked meal at the end (or start!) of the day, call upon your slow cooker to help — slow cooking doesn't need a lot of babysitting; it practically does all the work for you! How wonderful is that?

We recently asked some of our blogger friends to share their favorite slow-cooker recipes with us. As you’ll see from the variety of recipes below, your slow-cooker can whip up such diverse dishes —from hearty meatballs to whole grain granola. We hope you enjoy the recipes.

Crockpot Meatballs from Lindsay Livingston of The Lean Green Bean

Packed with protein, these meatballs are perfect for serving over spaghetti but can also be eaten as a post-workout snack or turned into a meatball sub! 

Pulled Pork Primavera from No Whine with Dinner and Meal Makeover Moms

This recipe takes minutes to prepare, and then the slow cooker does the rest of the work for you. Use a lean cut of pork for this dish — the loin — and then add three vegetables: bell pepper, carrot, and onion. The all-natural barbecue sauce adds big flavor and helps to tenderize the meat. Serve on a whole grain burger bun with coleslaw on the side for a family pleasing, nutrient-rich dinner everyone will love.

Homemade Crock-pot Granola from Jen Haugen of Down-to-Earth Dietitian

Reasons to love this recipe: you can put it together in 5 minutes.  It stays a little softer in texture, yet still has a crunch. It’s sweet but not too sweet. And it’s hard to burn in the slow cooker (a major plus!).

Chicken Tortilla Soup from Kylie Mitchell of Immaeatthat

This may be the easiest Chicken Tortilla Soup ever!  In the morning, just open some cans, add in a couple chicken breasts and let everything cook nice and slow in your crock-pot throughout the day.  When you get home, dinner is ready to go!

Smoky Lentil Chili from Sharon Palmer of The Plant-Powered Dietitian Blog

Here’s a perfect easy dish for your next Meatless Monday! You can throw all of these ingredients into a slow cooker and a savory, fragrant meal will great you when you come home at the end of the day.  Serve it with a handful of fresh cilantro and green onions.  Or, let your guests sprinkle with cheese (plant-based or dairy, depending on your preference) and tortilla strips for a hearty dish.

Maple Apple Oatmeal from Lisa & McKenzie of Nourish RDs

Simply throw all the ingredients in your slow-cooker before going to bed, and you'll wake up to a hot, balanced breakfast! You can experiment with different combinations of ingredients to make the oatmeal your own.  Swap the apples for figs or dried plums, substitute honey or brown sugar for the maple syrup…the options are endless.

Sweet Potato & Bean Chili from Lisa & McKenzie of Nourish RDs

This chili is one of my all-time favorite recipes. It takes a spin on a traditional chili by using one of our favorite veggies, sweet potatoes. Top your bowl with a dollop of reduced-fat plain Greek yogurt, sliced avocado, or green onions. 

What’s your favorite slow cooker dish? We loved to know! Share a link or brief description of the recipe in the comments section below.