Turkish Style Stuffed Meatballs
Ingredients
Filling
- 600 grams lean ground beef
- 3 large onions
- 5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 level teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon red powder pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- a bowl of walnuts
- a handful of parsley
- plenty of vegetable oil for frying
- a small deep pot for frying
Dough
- 2.5 cups fine bulgur for çiğ köfte
- 1 cup semolina
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red powder pepper
Preparation
Chop the onions and sauté them with vegetable oil.
Add the ground beef and cook while crushing it.
Add the tomato paste and cook until the aroma comes out.
Add the spices, finely chopped walnuts, and parsley, and stir for 1-2 minutes.
Turn off the heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and mix well.
Let the mixture cool so the fat solidifies and wait for 4-5 hours.
Shape the mixture into cylinder-shaped meatballs.
Place them on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and put in the freezer for 1 day.
In a suitable tray, mix the fine bulgur, semolina, and salt.
Add 3 cups of boiling water, cover, and let it swell for 30 minutes.
Add the spices, tomato paste, and egg, and knead for about 20 minutes.
Add the flour little by little in 3-4 stages while kneading until the consistency is like dough.
Tear pieces a bit larger than a walnut and roll them into balls.
Take a little vegetable oil in your palm, place a dough ball in the center, and flatten it with the other hand to the size of your palm.
Place the frozen filling in the center, close it from both sides, and shape by pressing and turning with both hands.
The excess will come to the end, so cut off the end and sharpen the tip by pressing in the palm.
In a small deep pot, add plenty of vegetable oil, at least half the pot, and heat well.
Add the stuffed meatballs slowly and fry for 2-3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon.
