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Izmir Kofte (Turkish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)

izmir kofte in tomato sauce served on a white plate and a fork inside it.
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5 from 3 reviews

Meatballs and potatoes first fried in a pan and then baked with a tomato sauce in the oven. It is a flavor-packed weeknight dinner that makes everyone satisfied.

Ingredients

For Meatballs and Potatoes:

  • 1 medium sized onion, pureed

  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs (or 2 slices of stale white bread, finely chopped or crumbled in a food processor)

  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  • ½  teaspoon cumin

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 500g (1.102 pounds) ground beef (10% fat) or lamb 

  • 1 egg

  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

  • 4 medium sized potatoes

  • ½ cup vegetable oil (or sunflower oil) for frying

Tomato Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 3 medium sized tomatoes, pureed

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or mashed

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups hot water

Topping:

  • 2 medium sized tomatoes

  • 3 Turkish green peppers ( or 1 green bell pepper), sliced 

  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions

Meatballs and Potatoes:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine pureed onion and breadcrumbs.

  2. Add in black pepper, cumin, paprika and salt. Mix well.

  3. Add in ground beef, egg and parsley. Mix well with your hand.

  4. Shape into oval balls and put them on a plate. You can wet your hands a little as needed. Put the meatballs aside.

  5. Peel the potatoes, dry them well and cut into thick slices (please read the note). Put them on a paper towel. Pat them dry.

  6. Heat oil in a frying pan.  Test with a pinch of salt. It is ready if it immediately sizzles.

  7. Fry the potatoes until both sides are golden. They don’t need to be fully cooked. Transfer them onto a paper towel.

  8. In the same pan and oil, fry the meatballs until brown. They don’t have to be fully cooked. It is ok once they change the color on the outside. Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying. Transfer them onto a paper towel.

Tomato Sauce:

  1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil. Add in tomato paste and cook it, stirring with a spoon for about a minute over medium low heat. 

  2. Add in pureed tomato and chopped garlic cloves. Sprinkle salt over these and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

  3. Pour in 2 cups hot water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. 

Assemble and Bake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.

  2. Transfer the partly fried potatoes and meatballs in a baking pan. 

  3. Pour all the sauce over them. 

  4. Top with tomato slices and green peppers. 

  5. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes.

  6. Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

  1. Cut the potatoes in thick slices, not like you would do when making French fries. If the potatoes are not thick enough when frying, they will melt when they are baked.

  2. Fry the potatoes first and then the meatballs using the same pan and oil. If you first fry the meatballs, it won’t be good to fry the potatoes in the same oil. 

  3. Instead of pureeing fresh tomatoes, you can use canned chopped tomatoes. But fresh tomatoes taste better.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.giverecipe.com/easy-meatballs-with-potatoes/