Köfte – Turkish Meatballs

Dear readers, let me share with you some insights into the delightful world of Turkish köfte. Did you know that Swedish National Culinary Team has officially stated that Swedish meatballs were inspired by a recipe that King Charles XII brought back from Turkey in the early 18th century? While it is still not entirely clear how much of an impact Charles XII had on the development of Swedish meatballs, it is certainly possible that he was exposed to different variations of the dish during his time in the Ottoman Empire and that this may have influenced the way meatballs were prepared in Sweden.

You see, there are many different types of köfte throughout Turkey, each with its own unique regional flair and distinctive ingredients. But no matter where you go in Turkey, one thing is for sure: the perfect köfte should be crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. And with this recipe, you can achieve just that, my dears. If you prefer to fry your köfte in oil this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings.

The key to achieving the perfect texture for your köfte lies in the mixture of ingredients. Do not use lean minced meat, 14% fat is ok, you can use day old breadcrumbs or semolina. If you use breadcrumbs then do not grill them they are better shallow fried.

For this recipe, I recommend using a combination of ground beef and lamb, which will give your köfte a rich and complex flavor. I did not use eggs but it is quite common.  To this, you can add in some day old breadcrumbs or semolina, finally grated onion, minced garlic, finally chopped parsley, and some spices, such as cumin, allspice, and freshly groun black pepper. Mix everything together until it is well combined, and then shape the mixture into small, oval-shaped patties.

To fry your köfte, heat up some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place your köfte in the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.

If you prefer to cook your köfte on the grill, preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Place the patties on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are nicely charred and cooked through.

And there you have it, my darlings! The secret to perfect köfte lies in the balance of flavors and textures, and with this recipe, you can achieve just that. So go ahead, give it a try, and let me know what you think.

You can serve meatballs with pommes frites, chips, French fries, Turkish style shephard´s salad, rice pilaff, Turkish style bean salad aka piyaz or you can just make a baguette with some onion-sumak salad and tomatoes and lettuce. Afiyet olsun!