Kofta is one of my favorite dishes. I've made this dish countless times before, but this time around, I wanted to change things up a bit. I decided to experiment with adding some sun-dried tomatoes and feta to the mix and adjusted the seasoning a little bit.
This turned out wonderful! Nice and tangy from the tomatoes and feta and gave a different spin on the kofta. Served with a nice tzatziki, some creamy hummus, tomoato salad, fluffy couscous, and some soft naan, this made for a delightful meal!
Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta Kofta
(adapted from Lady and Pups and The Moveable Feasts)
For the Meatballs:
1 lbs ground lamb
1 lbs ground beef
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 oz. soft-dried sun-dried tomatoes
Handful of Italian parsley
1 medium red onion, quartered
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp everything seasoning
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
1/4 to 1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped italian parsley
In a food processor, combine and coarsely chop garlic, nuts, tomatoes, parsley, and onion. Transfer to a large bowl then add egg, cornstarch, oil and spices. Stir to combine. Crumble in lamb and beef, until just mixed. Add the feta cheese then mix again,, careful not to overwork the meat. Adjust seasoning as needed by cooking a small sample then form into 1 to 1.5 inch sized balls. Set aside.
In a large nonstick pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium-high heat. Add meatballs and brown them nicely all over. Remove ball from pan. Add the pine nuts, caraway seeds, and fennel seeds to the pan. Toast until golden brown, being careful not to let them burn.
Add the minced garlic, dried mint, and parsley. Cook for about 30 seconds, return balls to the pan, then season with salt and pepper as needed. Cook for another 30 seconds, tossing the balls gently to coat.
Serve with hot naan, tzatziki, hummus, cucumber-tomato salad, shredded lettuce, and caraway-flavored rice or couscous.
Makes about 6 to 8 servings.
