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This is by no means a frugal recipe, but Dave has been asking me to figure out a turkish dinner to make at home. My first time using lamb in a dish, I had a bit of a sticker shock when the price rang up at over $6.00 a pound. Luckily for my wallet the kids balked at the thought of eating it. I guess it didn’t help that while I was cooking I was singing “Mary had a little Kofte”.
It did taste pretty similar to the Kofte we had while in Turkey, kind of like a meatball/hamburger mixture. It has a more subtle flavor than an American meatball. I served it on a bed of rice pilaf, with a greek yogurt mixed with mint on the side. (for dipping). And you can’t forget the flatbread with cheese. I used provolone, and added some garlic. Not authentic, but very tasty.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Lamb
- 2 slices White Bread, Torn Into Small Pieces
- 1 whole Egg
- ½ whole Onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped
- ½ teaspoons Salt
- ½ cups Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
- ¼ cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
- ¼ cups Fresh Mint, Chopped
- ¼ teaspoons Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper, Or To Taste
- ½ Tablespoons Paprika
- ½ teaspoons Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Basil
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and set it aside.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and knead with your hands until well combined (or use a food processor).
3. Shape the mixture into tightly packed meatballs, molding them into ovals. Make sure that there is no hollow spot in the middle of the meatballs. Place meatballs on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping the meatballs after about 15 minutes. Check after 20 minutes: if they’re brown all over, they are ready.
