Kofte

Kofte is type of Middle Eastern meatball. We fell in love with it at Lazeza (our local Mediterranean restaurant where I used to waitress). It is commonly served on pita as a sandwich or as a kabob. Lazeza also makes it on a panini, it is wonderful. Here is a recipe from Cooking Light.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup prechopped white onion
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pound lean ground round
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices plum tomato (about 2 tomatoes)
4 (6-inch) pitas, split
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Directions:

Preheat broiler.
Combine first 12 ingredients in a large bowl; stir until just combined. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions; shape each portion into a (2-inch) patty. Place patties on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Place 1 tomato slice and 1 patty in each pita half; top each half with 1 1/2 teaspoons yogurt.

Bobotie

Here is a traditional South African dish (from recipesource.com). Kind of like South African meatloaf...Good with my maple-dill carrots on the side.



Ingredients:

3 slices day old bread
1 1/2 c. milk
2 med. onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. raisins
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs

Makes 6 servings.

Directions:

Soak bread in milk. Squeeze milk from bread, reserving milk.
Combine all ingredients, except milk and 1 egg. Press mixture into
an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Add enough milk to reserve milk to make
3/4 cup. Beat together milk and remaining egg. Pour over meat
mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden
brown and firm to the touch.