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This recipe is not about stuffing balls, parsley dumplings or the likes. I had a particular recipe in mind, searched the web but all the recipes I found had only one thing in common – they all had parsley in them.
So I had to invent my own parsley balls recipe. The result? These Middle-East-inspired crunchy parsley balls have distinctive tangy taste and make a very good appetizer.

I made 36 little balls

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

100g parsley leaves, finely chopped (three big bunches)
200g sirene cheese (or any other white brine or feta cheese), crushed
3 egg whites
30g (a big handful) pumpkin seeds
60-80g coarse cornmeal
Some peppermint leaves
Freshly ground white pepper
Sunflower oil (for frying)

Method:

Preparing the parsley can take you some time – you have to rinse it thoroughly, cut off the stalks, leave the parsley to drain and chop it. Do the same with the peppermint. You can also use a kitchen blender but make sure not to puree them.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and few drops of lemon juice. In the large bowl mix the chopped parsley and peppermint with the crushed cheese, pumpkin seeds, and season with freshly ground white pepper. Carefully fold in the whipped egg whites, so they will retain as much of their volume as possible.

You should get a smooth, thick, slightly lumpy mixture. Form small balls and roll in cornmeal. Heat the oil in pan and fry for about two minutes or until golden. Try not to overload the pan because this lowers the temperature in it.

Place the fried balls on paper towels and pat dry. Serve hot.