Içİi Köfte
Author: 
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Turkish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 - 4
 
If pepper paste is not possible to obtain then use tomato paste and add a pinch of cayenne or pul biber to your taste.
Ingredients
  • INNER CASING
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • ½ kg onions, finely chopped, processed or grated then placed in a strainer for 20 minutes
  • ½ kg minced beef, lamb or a mix of both (not lean, slighly fatty) drained for 20 minutes if thawed
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ cup chopped parsley
  • ⅓ cup chopped walnuts (optional) - do not chop too fine
  • 1 flat Tbsp pepper paste (sweet or spicy - depends on your taste) or tomato paste
  • OUTER CASING
  • 1 cup fine bulgur
  • ½ cup semolina
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tsp pepper paste
  • 1 cup oil for frying
Instructions
  1. INNER CASING
  2. Heat the oil and add the dry minced onions
  3. Fry the onions in the oil until transparent and then add the meat
  4. Fry the meat gently and let any liquid begin to evaporate
  5. Add the walnuts if using, stir for a minute
  6. Add the pepper or tomato paste and stir well for 2 minutes
  7. Turn the heat down and add the remaining ingredients
  8. Stir well and taste the mixture.
  9. At this point adjust the seasonings according to your taste
  10. Once all the liquid has evaporated from the meat turn off the heat
  11. Empty the meat mixture into a strainer and leave it to completely cool and drain
  12. OUTER CASING
  13. Mix the 3 dry ingredients well together
  14. Add the water, mix well and leave to completely soak it all up
  15. hours later add the pepper paste and knead the mixture extremely well until the mixture becomes really soft and can easily be formed into shapes.
  16. KOFTE
  17. Knead the cold meat mixture and roll it into sausages about 8 cm long (3 inches)
  18. CASING
  19. Wet your hands well
  20. Take handfuls of the mixture and form into a ball.
  21. Push your index finger into the ball and form a casing
  22. CREATING YOUR IÇLI KÖFTE
  23. Take a meat ball and slide into the formed hole
  24. Close the casing up gently and carefully roll the Içİi Köfte in your hands and form it into a pointy football shape
  25. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry on all sides until golden all over or deep fry for around 2 minutes
  26. These can also be dropped into boiling water and cooked or baked in an oven but is not as flavoursome as the frying options but definitely the healthier option.
  27. Serve warm or cold
  28. It is very nice to serve these with hummus or cacik
Recipe by Pantry Fun at https://pantryfun.com/icli-kofte/