Qofte të fëguara (Minted Meatballs)

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Qofte të fëguara (Minted Meatballs)

Qofte të fëguara (Minted Meatballs) is a traditional Albanian recipe for a classic dish of minced lamb or beef combined with onions, cheese, herbs and spices that are shaped into sausages and fried before serving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Albanian version of: Minted Meatballs (Qofte të fëguara).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

15 minutes

Total Time:

35 minutes

Additional Time:

(+60 minutes chilling)

Serves:

Rating:

Tags : Spice Recipes Beef Recipes Lamb Recipes Cheese Recipes Albania Recipes

The Ottoman Turks brought this dish to Albania, but the Albanians have adapted it and made it their own.

Ingredients:

450g minced lamb or beef
1/2 onion, very finely chopped
50g breadcrumbs
4 tbsp Feta cheese, finely crumbled
1 garlic clove, crushed
35g fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
salt and black pepper, to taste
flour to dust
oil for frying

Method:

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients (except for the flour and oil). Mix well with your hands to combine then cover the bowl and set aside for at least 1 hour to allow the ingredients to infuse.

After this time take about 1 tbsp of the mixture at a time and shape into small cylinders or sausages. When ready, heat the oil in a pan, roll the qofte in the flour to coat then fry for about 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides (or until cooked through).

Traditionally these are served with fried potatoes, rice or rice pilaf though they also go well with lemon wedges and a green salad.