Thread by @lifesafeast

While I prepare for the taping of the next episode of #StirCrazyPodcast let's make kefta!

Need something new to make with ground lamb or beef?

Kefta wrapped in filo dough

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INGREDIENTS

20 – 25 oz (600 – 700 g) ground/minced lamb or beef
6 sheets of filo (phyllo) dough
2 slices white bread
3/8 cup (100 ml) milk (if you don’t mix milk and meat, replace with water)
2 onions
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 large egg

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1 small bunch fresh coriander/cilantro
1 teaspoon liquid honey
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil or melted butter for the filo dough

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Place the ground/minced meat in a large mixing bowl.

Finely chop the 2 onions. Heat a large skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium heat and add a little oil, butter or margarine. Cook the chopped onions for several minutes until caramelized a golden brown.

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Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Measure out the spices.

Soak the two slices of bread in the milk until soaked then squeeze out all of the excess milk. Chop the soaked and squeezed bread finely.

Finely chop the fresh coriander.

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Add the caramelized onions, the bread, the beaten egg, chopped coriander, honey, the spices & pine nuts to the ground lamb or beef. Generously salt and pepper.

Using your hands, blend all the ingredients with the ground meat until completely and evenly combined.

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Spread a sheet of parchment paper on a large serving platter or an oven tray. Form the meat mixture into quenelles or cylinders of even thickness about 2 or 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) long & 1 to 1 ½ inches (2 to 3 cm) wide. Lay them on the parchment paper as you prepare them.

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Heat back up the skillet you used to fry the chopped onions over medium heat. Add a little oil if it is not non-stick. Brown the meat quenelles on all sides, lowering the heat to medium-low if it seems too hot, about 8 minutes each batch. Do not overcrowd. They will

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still be pink in the center (they will finish cooking in the oven.

Remove the browned lamb quenelles to another baking sheet or platter as you go & continue cooking until all of the quenelles are browned.

Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C).

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Line a large baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Working with one sheet of filo dough at a time, brush the sheet with olive oil or melted butter. Evenly slice the sheets into long strips, slicing lengthwise into widths as wide as your quenelles (I divided

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my strips into lengths 3” (8 cm) wide, the width of my quenelles). Place a quenelle on the end of a strip & simply roll up, sealing the end with a bit more oil or butter. Place, seam side down, on the lined baking sheet. You can place them fairly close together if need

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be. Brush the outsides with more olive oil or butter.

Bake for about 10 minutes until golden brown. The meat peeking out each end should be sizzling.

Serve immediately.

The kefta are delicious dipped in a spicy dipping sauce or a cool, tangy tzatziki-type sauce and

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You can accompany them with a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.

Next I'll share my recipe for North African inspired filo triangles using ground lamb or beef.