Qofte are meatballs made with either lamb, chicken, or beef meat. Many people fry their qofte, but I chose to bake mine in the oven. These are simple and quick to prep, and once the meatballs are prepped, they only take about 30 minutes in the oven. Make them with the fergese for a simple and delicious meal!
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So I have to be honest. With the small exception of mint chocolate chip ice cream, I’m not really a big fan of consuming mint. In my opinion, mint is better suited to improve your breath than to improve the taste of your meal. HOWEVER, I added a very subtle amount of dried, flaked mint into this recipe, and I was pleasantly surprised! The flavor was juuuustttt enoughto change up the flavor of a normal meatball, but not strong enough to be overpowering.
Mint with WHAT??
I paired the mint with some paprika, and really, I think it’s this flavor combination that sends these meatballs over the edge. I wouldn’t normally think of pairing mint and paprika together, but they really do complement each other well. When I think of paprika, I think of warmth and roundedness, but when I think of mint, words like “piercing” and “cool” jump to mind. Putting both spices in the same dish really balanced out the flavors and left us with a pretty desirable taste.
Frying vs Baking
Last week during Afghanistan, there was a lot of fried food. Don’t get me wrong, I love fried food just as much as the next girl. But in the spirit of health, I decided to change this recipe up a bit from it’s norm. Instead of soaking the meatballs in vegetable oil, I baked them in the oven, and they still turned out really delicious! But hey, if you want to fry these guys up, no judgement from me. In fact, let me know in the comments below how they taste!
Qofte (Albanian Meatballs with Feta Cheese)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, (or lamb, or chicken)
- 1 ¾ tbsp bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped feta cheese
- ½ white onion, grated
- salt
- ½ tbsp crushed, dried mint leaves
- ½ tbsp ground paprika
If frying
- ½ cup flour
- oil for deep frying
Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Optional)
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- ½-3/4 tbsp chopped garlic, depending on preference
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.
- Form into 12 meatballs in an oval shape.
- Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes in the oven.
- Serve with yogurt sauce if desired.
If frying:
- Roll meatballs in flour to coat. Fry in oil heated to 350 degrees. Drain on paper towel.
Denise says
Wonderful! I made these for an Albanian friend, and they made her cry, they reminded her so much of home! She got her family on zoom to share the meal with us!
I made them with gluten free oats, pulsed to breadcrumb size, and half lamb and beef. I also added 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and used smoked paprika. I baked them, brushing with avocado oil to keep them moist, and I also used Dodoni feta. I think they’d be fab grilled over charcoal too.
I used the original dipping sauce, and it was good, but I think I’ve been cooking too much Indian food, so I made it with Greek whole milk yogurt, mint, cilantro, and cucumber, pulsed in the Ninja blender. Combined with the garlic, it was almost drinkable!
Thanks for a great recipe that made my friend (and me) so happy!
The Foreign Fork says
Hey Denise, thank you so much for the positive review!! Your meal sounds delicious and like a great celebration time with friends and family. I’m so glad they reminded your friend of home!