Domatokeftedes: Greek Tomato Fritters

 Domatokeftedes (or tomatokeftedes) is the name of the Greek tomato fritters. In the old days, people were poor and could not afford to use meat to make balls. Actually, people could eat meat only on holidays. This made them creative and they started using other ingredients to make fritters. These ingredients included vegetables and herbs. As a result, these fritters are also known as the "meatballs of the poor". 

What makes domatokeftedes delicious? For sure, the tomatoes you use. I first tried this mouthwatering appetizer when I visited Santorini years ago. This beautiful island is also famous for the tomatoes it produces. The anhydrous environment and the unique volcanic terrain make the tomatoes have a special aroma and sweet taste. For sure, it is difficult to find tomatoes from Santorini. For this reason, I suggest the tomatoes you use are organic. Another important tip:  the tomatoes you use should not be ripe.

This traditional domatokeftedes recipe comes straight from the beautiful island of Santorini. You need to following ingredients: tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, mint, basil, dill, baking soda, flour, dill, salt, pepper, and frying oil. 

Domatokeftedes: Greek Tomato Fritters

Domatokeftedes - Ingredients

  • 10 tomatoes, chopped
  • 5 onions, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 tablespoons of mint, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of basil, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of dill, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of baking powder
  • 350 g of flour
  • Frying oil
  • Salt 
  • Pepper 

Domatokeftedes - How to Make

  1. Start this traditional domatokeftedes recipe by taking a bowl. Place the tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, basil, mint, and dill. Mix well with your hands until you get a homogeneous mixture.
  2. Add the baking powder, salt, pepper, and flour to the tomato mixture.
  3. Mix with a wooden spoon and check the consistency of the mixture. If it's too loose, you may need to add some more flour.
  4. Take some of the mixture with a big spoon and shape it into a fritter. 
  5. Repeat this process until all mixture has been used.
  6. Take a frying pan and pour the frying oil. Bring to a boil over high temperature. 
  7. Place fritters one by one into hot oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through.
  8. Place the domatokeftedes on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. 
  9. Serve.

I like eating domatokeftedes topped with some crumbled feta cheese. If you want to try other recipes from Santorini, you should check out this fava recipe. Enjoy!