Turkish Meatballs

 Turkish Meatballs (Kofta)

Ingredients:

Meatballs
    1 cup fine fresh breadcrumb
    1 lb lean ground lamb
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    1 teaspoon ground cumin
    1/2 teaspoon allspice
    1 teaspoon dried mint
    2 cloves garlic
    2 tablespoons parsley
    1 egg
    1 tablespoon olive oil

Methods:
    1 Make the bread crumbs by breaking up 2 slices of stale but not dried out whole wheat bread into the bowl of a food processor.
    2 Whiz until finely crumbed.
    3 Add the ground lamb and the egg, and process until blended.
    4 Add the spices, garlic and parsley.
    5 Process the meat well to achieve a fine texture.
    6 Roll the mixture into small meatballs (I use a melonballer) or finger shaped patties using dampened hands.
    7 You may cook them at once, or refrigerate the mixture for several hours.
    8 (If your meat is very fresh, you can divide it in half and wrap part well in plastic for the next day's meal.) Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, and fry the balls or patties until cooked through and evenly browned.
    9 The meatballs should be stirred several times, the patties turned once.
    10 Remove them with a slotted spoon to drain.
    11 Serve the meatballs hot or at room temperature as an appetizer.
    12 Lovely with a yogurt or tahini sauce, on a bed of rice or in a pita.

Serves: 4-6