Köfte is one of Turkey’s best loved dishes and makes a delicious and filling meal for any occassion. Last week our sales and operation manager, Guner cooked this dish for the Direct Traveller office, and it left us all wishing that every Monday had such an exciting line up for lunch!

It was so tasty in fact that we’ve decided to share her recipe here with you. Hopefully making this will take you away from the grotty winter weather we’ve had here in the UK and transport you to the exoticisms of Turkey and its flavoursome cuisine.

Köfte Ingredients:

 First:
  • 450g/1lb minced beef or lamb
  • 1 medium grated onion
  • 3 slices of bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • 1 cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup plain white flour
  • Sunflower oil for frying

Second:

  • 6 potatoes, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
  • Aubergines
  •  3 tomatoes, sliced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp butter

 Got everything at the ready? Here’s what’s next:

1. Get your bread and take off any crusts. Crumble what’s left into a bowl before adding all of the above ‘First’ ingredients, excluding the flour, oil, and leaving half of the chopped parsley (you’ll use this as a garnish later).
2. Next, start kneading it all until the dough turns soft enough to mould into finger like shapes that are about 2.5cm/1inch thick. Keep doing this until you’ve used up all the mixture and then cover them and store in the fridge.
3. Grab your sliced potatoes and fry them until they turn a tasty looking golden brown. Drain the oil from these after and then put to the side. Alternatively, you can put these in the oven as Guner did for a healthier method.
4. Go back to your meatballs and roll them in flour before frying/putting in the oven and turning until both sides look nice and crisp.
5. Grease an oven dish with butter before carefully layering your potatoes, meatballs, some aubergines and sliced tomatoes. As a final touch put your sliced green pepper on top and a sprinkling of salt and ground pepper.
6. Put the tomato paste into a cup of hot water and then pour over the top of the dish.
7. Cover and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.
8. Finally – serve up while still very hot and garnish with some parsley. You’ll be feeling warmed up in no time!
Extra: As a side consider a beetroot salad along with some bread and hummus. It works wonderfully!
 Like this? What’s your favourite Turkish dish?
Direct TravellerUncategorizedTurkish Kofte,turkish recipes
Köfte is one of Turkey's best loved dishes and makes a delicious and filling meal for any occassion. Last week our sales and operation manager, Guner cooked this dish for the Direct Traveller office, and it left us all wishing that every Monday had such an exciting line up...