There are so many meatball dishes in Turkish cuisine that we could easily make a multi-volume cookbook out of them. Among all the meatball recipes, Izmir koftesi, i.e. Izmir meatballs, a specialty of the Aegean city of Izmir, holds a special place in my heart. This dish of meatballs cooked with potatoes and peppers in tomato sauce is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. Since we need comfort more than ever these days, I make Izmir meatballs almost every week. Izmir kofte is usually a summer dish in which tomatoes abound, traditionally served with rice and yogurt as a side dish and accompanied by a glass of ice-cold beer.
rakiObviously.
For the meatball
1/2 pound ground beef
2 slices of stale bread soaked in water and squeezed well or 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped or finely chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 egg (traditionally there is always an egg in meatballs to both hold the meatballs together and keep them moist once cooked; however, I don’t like the smell of egg in meatballs and prefer not to use any)
salt
~10 peppers. (In Turkey, sweet green chili peppers are the base of this dish.) If you like spicy peppers, you can use any type of pepper: jalapeno, wax, banana, Anaheim, or poblano. I like to use Shishito and Italian sweet peppers for this recipe. Seeded.
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3-4 medium sized tomatoes, grated or chopped in food processor
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
-Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs. Knead well for 5-7 minutes. Wet your hands and form oval, finger-shaped patties, 3-4 inches long, round in the center and thinner at the ends.
-Heat a pan. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook until they change color. We’re not trying to cook them, just seal them.
-Keep the meatballs aside but keep the oil in the pan. (Some also fry the potatoes and it is delicious, but much fattier. So I choose not to fry the potatoes)
-Arrange the meatballs in a sun shape in a wide-bottomed baking dish or cast iron pot at 1/2-1 inch intervals. If you use a square or rectangular plate, you can line them up.
-Add tomato paste to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, if using. Also add grated tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. Salt to taste. Cook the tomatoes until the juice is gone. Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Bring to the boil and turn off.
-Place the potatoes between the meatballs and on top of the peppers, all still in the shape of a sun.
-Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs and vegetables. The sauce should just cover the meatballs and vegetables. If not, add a little more boiling water.
-Cook in the central rack of the oven at 180°C for 40-45 minutes, enough time to cook the potatoes.
-Serve with rice or crusty bread and yogurt.
Enjoy your meal!
