Greek Kofte Recipe

I had the fortitude to be born into this world with a mother who loved cooking and made it her career. Every school holiday or day off was spent in a catering kitchen chopping or peeling something. As much as I despised it at the time, like any child i’d have much rather been chasing rainbows outside, I have genuine happy memories of this time.

As luck would have it, I was also born with older brothers and sisters with a different dad to mine, making them half Greek Cypriot. I had further luck later on when going to school and college when I made friends with two wonderful Turkish Cypriot women, Sinem and Ozzie.

This gave me a innate love of Cypriot food like Kofte, Dolma, Moussaka, Salads, Soups, Stews and of course the sweet stuff. The reason for this is that my mum used to make these foods, and so did my friend’s mums and Dads. Oh parents who cook… I salute you!

Mixing the mixture!

Both of these houses were always loaded with food. Ozzie’s mum, Tina, always had some food on her kitchen counter - Cheese or olive breads, borek with spinach or meat, lentil soup with lemon, oh the absolute joys of visiting my friends houses.

One of my earliest memories is of Sinem’s Dad, Taner, making hummus. Yes, making hummus. At home. It blew my mind. People make hummus?

Frying the patties

Now I make hummus all the time but back then it was something secret and sacred, only to be bought in a tub at the supermarket.

These kofte turned out wrong. Why? because I used huge grated potato, rather than thinly grated potato. What was I thinking? I have no idea. They even looked huge in the bowl so what did I expect? that the potato would disintegrate? I don’t know. I also used beef mince when I would typically use lamb, as does my friend Sinem when she makes them for me. (All for me - how lucky!)

But they did taste amazing, and on that basis, I share the recipe.

Popping the oven

Greek Kofte

500g x Beef mince

1 x onion chopped

1 x red chilli chopped

1 x tsp garlic granules

1 x tbsp chopped mint

1 x tbsp chopped parsley.

Mix all ingredients together, and shape into balls, fry gently and if you’re particularly nervous about raw centres like me, pop them in the oven for 15 minutes. Serve with tabbouleh or salad.