Giouvarlakia

Giouvarlakia or

Avgolemono Meatballs Soup

This is one of the most cooked avgolemono soup in Greece during the cold winter days. 

This is the way I prepare it and for other versions you can browse the Internet. 

for the meatballs:

500 gr. ground beef

3 tablespoons Carolina rice

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

for the avgolemono:

2 egg yolks

juice of 1 lemon

Place all ingredients in a bowl and knead all together. Make small meatballs, I make 24 peaces from this amount of meat. Place the meatballs in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

Take a big cooking pan. Pour 1 liter of fresh tab water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bring it to a boil. Place the meatballs inside, lower the temperature, cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Now it is time for the avgolemono. Take the pan from the heat. In a bigger bowl whisk the egg yolks with the lemon...Uncover the pan and with a ladle pour broth from the pan into the bowl with the eggs...slowly ....ad 5-6 ladles, until the egg and lemon sauce is hot enough to go back into the pan. Pour the avolemono sauce in the pan with the meatballs, and shake the pan right and left and try making a circles...holding the pan from the handles.

then place the pan on the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. 

Take it from the heat, place a towel on the top and cover it with the lead. 

Serve with some fresh dill and hot chili flakes sprinkled on the top. 

Tip: the amount of water is for a rich creamy soup. If you like it lighter add another 1 and a half liter of water instead of 1.

Thank you Souvlaki for posting your lovely recipe.