Izmir Kofte
Meatballs and potatoes first fried in a pan and then baked with a tomato sauce in the oven. It is a flavor-packed weeknight dinner that makes everyone satisfied.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 medium onion (pureed)
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs (or 2 slices of stale white bread, finely chopped or crumbled in a food processor)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 500 g ground beef ( (15% fat) or lamb)
- 1 medium egg
- 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
- 4 medium potatoes
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or sunflower oil for frying)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 medium tomatoes (pureed)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or mashed)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups water (hot)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 medium green bell pepper (or 3 Turkish green peppers, sliced)
- 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine pureed onion and breadcrumbs.
- 2
Add in black pepper, cumin, paprika and salt. Mix well.
- 3
Add in ground beef, egg and parsley. Mix well with your hand.
- 4
Shape into oval balls and put them on a plate. You can wet your hands a little as needed. Put the meatballs aside.
- 5
Peel the potatoes, dry them well and cut into thick slices (please read the note). Put them on a paper towel. Pat them dry.
- 6
Heat oil in a frying pan. Test with a pinch of salt. It is ready if it immediately sizzles.
- 7
Fry the potatoes until both sides are golden. They don’t need to be fully cooked. Transfer them onto a paper towel.
- 8
In the same pan and oil, fry the meatballs until brown. They don’t have to be fully cooked. It is ok once they change the color on the outside. Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying. Transfer them onto a paper towel.
- 9
In a saucepan, heat olive oil. Add in tomato paste and cook it, stirring with a spoon for about a minute over medium low heat.
- 10
Add in pureed tomato and chopped garlic cloves. Sprinkle salt over these and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 11
Pour in 2 cups hot water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- 12
Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
- 13
Transfer the partly fried potatoes and meatballs in a baking pan.
- 14
Pour all the sauce over them.
- 15
Top with tomato slices and green peppers.
- 16
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
- 17
Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.