Traditionally in Greece, soul-soothing giouvarlakia are paired with an avgolemono (egg and lemon) sauce, but Yiayia Poly is not a purist so she makes a tomato sauce to sit her meatballs in instead. An Athenian yiayia (grandmother) with a modern sensibility and cutting humour that’s as sharp as her nose, Poly serves her giouvarlakia with a tipple of beer, crusty bread and hunks of feta.
YIAYIA POLY’S GIOUVARLAKIA (MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE) FROM ATHENS
FOR THE SAUCE
680g passata (sieved tomatoes)1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in680ml water180ml extra virgin olive oil1¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper1 tsp sugar
FOR THE GIOUVARLAKIA
2 red onions,