Izmir Kofte (Soutzoukakia - Smyrna Meatballs)
Izmir Kofte (a.k.a Soutzoukakia or Smyrna Meatballs) is a traditional Turkish dish made with lightly fried meatballs and vegetables baked in tomato sauce.
Servings: 4 People
Calories: 767kcal
Equipment
- 1 kitchen scale
- 1 10" (25 cm) dia oven dish
- 1 peeler
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 measuring spoons
- 1 frying pan
- 1 grater
Ingredients
For the Kofte (Makes 16 Kofte)
- 1 ⅛ lbs ground meat (lamb, beef or mixture) (500 grams)
- 1 egg
- 1 medium onion (grated)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs (40 grams)
- 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes or paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Vegetables
- 1 ⅔ lbs potatoes (peeled and cut in wedges) (750 grams)
- 1 large tomato (cut in 8 wedges)
- 4 long green peppers (or 1 large capsicum) (seeds and core removed and cut into 2-3 pieces)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (for frying) (100 ml)
For the Tomato Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 large tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (add extra ½ tablespoon if the tomatoes are not in season)
- 4 sprigs thyme (only leaves chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (350 ml)
Instructions
Making the Kofte
- Preheat your oven to 360° F (180° C).
- Put all the ingredients for the kofte in a large bowl and mix them. Knead the mixture for about 5 minutes until nicely combined.
- Shape into 14-16 equally sized oblong meatballs using the palm of your hands. Wet your palm with a bit of water to avoid the meatballs sticking to your hand.
- Set them aside and start preparing your vegetables.
Preparing the Vegetables
- Peel and wedge your potatoes, and pat dry with a paper towel to avoid splashing hot oil while frying.
- Prepare the peppers, take the seeds and the core out, and cut them into the preferred sizes. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Place a frying pan on medium heat and add the vegetable oil.
- When the oil is hot enough, fry the potatoes, making sure they are browned on all sides and set aside. The potatoes will still be uncooked. We need the caramelization on the outside.
- Lightly fry the peppers and set them aside.
- Add the meatballs to the pan and fry them until all sides are brown. The meatballs will still be uncooked, we want to seal the meatballs to keep the juice and flavor in.
- Arrange the meatballs in the oven dish with the potatoes and peppers.
- Cut 1 large tomato into eight wedges and place them into the oven dish as well.
Preparing the Tomato Sauce
- Discard the excess vegetable oil from the pan, leaving only 1 tablespoon to make the sauce.
- Add the garlic and thyme and sauté quickly to make sure it doesn’t get burnt.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes before adding the tomato paste.
- Give it a good stir and add the salt and the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes.
- Pour the sauce into the oven dish and cover it with tin foil or a lid.
- Place the dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove the tin foil or the lid and cook for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are softened.
Notes
- Make sure your vegetables are totally dry before putting them in hot oil for frying to avoid splashes on your face or hands
- Start with frying your vegetables and then fry the meatballs. If you first fry the meatballs, the oil wouldn't be clean enough to fry the vegetables without burning them.
- When shaping the meatballs, wet your palm with a bit of water to avoid the meatballs sticking to your hand.
- The ideal mince should have %20 fat for soft and delicious koftes. Using lean mince will make them dry and tough.
Nutrition
Calories: 767kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 1486mg | Potassium: 1882mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1816IU | Vitamin C: 158mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 6mg