Turkish Meatballs with Eggplant Beğendi
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 kg ground beef
- 1 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
- 2 cloves grated garlic
- 1 grated onion
- a handful of finely chopped parsley
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin
Eggplant beğendi
- 5 eggplants
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups milk
- salt
- black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated kasar cheese
Sauce
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Topping
- grated kasar cheese
Preparation
Place the ground meat in a suitable bowl, add all the remaining meatball ingredients, and knead well.
Shape the meat mixture into marble-sized balls with your hands.
Roast the eggplants in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius for 45 to 50 minutes.
Peel and chop the eggplants, then put the flour and butter in a suitable pot.
Cook on the stove until the flour lightly browns.
Add the milk and stir.
Add salt, black pepper, kasar cheese, and the chopped eggplants, mix well, and transfer to a baking dish.
Fry the meatballs in hot oil and place them on top of the eggplant mixture.
Peel and blend the tomatoes in a blender.
Put the blended tomatoes in a pan, add tomato paste, and stir on the stove until it boils.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius until golden.
