Chickpea Balls

On mine and Mindee's first night on Sifnos, Greece, we had a wonderful dinner at O Argiris in the port of Kamares.

We started our dinner with chickpea balls and a Greek salad followed by melt-in-your-mouth slow cooked lamb called Mastelo, all Sifian Specialties!

Chickpea balls are similar to falafel only not as spicy.  Falafel is made with cumin and coriander where chickpea balls call for fresh herbs and potato 

This recipe was adapted from a cookbook written by a Greek woman living on the island that does just about everything.... from wedding planning, dance lessons, ceramic classes, hike tours and cooking classes.  The cookbook is not very specific with ingredient measurements and cooking times... which just goes to prove the easy-going, laid-back mentality of the Greeks :o)

Ingredients:
1 part chickpeas
1/2 part potatoes, boiled and peeled
1/2 part onions chopped
Parsley, dill, marjoram, mint
2 garlic
Red wine to kneed
Flour to roll in and oil to fry

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a blender
Put into a large bowl
Add a little wine at a time and kneed to combine
Roll about 1 heaping tablespoon
Roll in flour
Set aside
Fry about 5 at a time in oil
Drain on paper towels

Our view from the restaurant