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Hasanpaşa Köfte - Turkish Meatballs with Mashed Potatoes

Hasanpaşa Köfte is a delicious Turkish casserole dish featuring juicy meatballs topped with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese, all baked in a flavorful tomato sauce.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish
Diet: Low Lactose
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 710kcal
Author: Ayla Clulee

Equipment

  • 1 kitchen scale
  • 1 measuring spoons
  • 1 Measuring cups
  • 1 grater

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

  • 18 oz ground meat (500 grams)
  • 1 medium onion (grated)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 egg white
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon chili

For the Mashed Potatoes

  • 18 oz floury potatoes such as desire or maris piper (500 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ⅓ cup double cream or heavy cream
  • ⅓ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese (to mix with mashed potatoes)
  • ½ cup kasar cheese (for the top of the meatballs)
  • ½ cup frozen peas

For the Tomato Sauce

  • 1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparing the Meatballs

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, grated onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg white, and spices.
  • Mix everything thoroughly with your hands until well combined, then continue kneading it for another 5 minutes.
  • Cover the bowl and let the kofte mixture rest refrigerated while preparing mashed potatoes.

Preparing the Mashed Potatoes

  • While the meatballs are resting, prepare the mashed potatoes. Peel and wash the potatoes, and cut them into equal chunky sizes.
  • Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with cold water enough to cover them all.
  • Bring the potatoes to a boil on medium heat, and then lower the heat. Gently simmer them without heavy boiling to avoid the potatoes falling apart while cooking.
  • Cook the potatoes thoroughly until soft enough to pierce with a knife easily to avoid the lumps in the mash.
  • Drain the potatoes thoroughly using a fine mesh sieve and then return them to the heat for 30 seconds to ensure that any remaining water on the potatoes completely evaporates.
  • Add the double cream, butter, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mash using a masher or a ricer until smooth.
  • Stir in the cheese and egg yolks.

Shape and Fill The Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 190 ℃ (375 ℉)
  • Divide the meatball mixture into 8 equal portions and roll each into a ball.
  • Flatten slightly then use your thumb to press a hollow into the center, forming a cup. Place them in a baking dish, making sure they don't touch each other.
  • Fill the holes with 1 ½ tablespoons of peas and then top with mashed potatoes using a spoon or a piping bag.
  • Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes.
  • Prepare the tomato sauce while the meatballs are baking by mixing tomato paste, water, and thyme in a jug.
  • Reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F), remove the meatballs from the oven, and top them with grated Kasar cheese.
  • Pour the tomato sauce around the köfte in the baking dish, making sure not to cover the mashed potato tops.
  • Return the meatballs to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and has slightly golden edges.

Video

Notes

  • For delicious and juicy meatballs, use freshly ground meat with a minimum of 20% fat content. Using lean meat will make them dry and tough.
  • A mix of beef and lamb adds more flavor, but ground beef alone works just as well.
  • If you have time, let your Hasanpasa kofte mixture rest for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally overnight for the flavors to meld.
  • Wet your fingers while shaping the meatballs to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
  • Start cooking the potatoes with cold water. If you put your potatoes in boiling water, you will end up with potatoes that are cooked and soft outside and crunchy and hard inside.
  • The mashed potatoes should be creamy enough to pipe or spoon easily but not runny.
  • Don't overwork the potatoes. Using a food processor or overworking them for too longwill cause the mashed potatoes to get gluey.

Nutrition

Calories: 710kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 197mg | Sodium: 1049mg | Potassium: 1113mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 990IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 291mg | Iron: 5mg