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Loading...Hailing from the slopes of Mount Uludağ in Bursa, these elongated lamb patties are a hallmark of northwestern Turkish home cooking. The meatballs are hand-kneaded with soaked country bread and grated onion, then grilled over charcoal and served on warm pide with charred peppers, tomatoes, and sumac-dressed onions.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings4
Yield8 meatballs (4 servings)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 520 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 11 gSaturated Fat
- 22 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 38 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 620 mgPotassium
- 75 mgCalcium
- 4 mgIron
- 28 mgVitamin C
- 90 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 500 g (1.1 lb) ground lamb, preferably shoulder
- 80 g (about 2 slices) stale country bread, crusts removed, soaked in cold water 10 min and squeezed dry
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely grated
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp cold water
For grilling and serving
- 2 plum tomatoes, halved crosswise
- 3 Turkish sivri biber or Anaheim peppers
- 1 large onion, sliced into 1 cm rings
- 1 tsp ground sumac
- 4 pieces of warm pide or Turkish flatbread
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp neutral oil for the grill
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, squeezed bread, grated onion, salt, black pepper, cumin, and the tablespoon of cold water. Mix and knead vigorously by hand for 4-5 minutes, until the mixture becomes tacky and starts to pull away from the bowl.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) so the bread fully absorbs the meat juices.
- Wet your hands and divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each into an oval, slightly elongated patty about 8 cm long, 4 cm wide, and 1.5 cm thick, pressing gently to flatten.
- Prepare a charcoal grill for medium-high heat, or heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high until very hot. Lightly oil the grates or pan.
- Grill the meatballs for about 4 minutes per side, turning once with a spatula, until well browned with light char and firm to the touch (internal temperature 70°C / 160°F).
- While the meatballs cook, brush the tomato halves, peppers, and onion rings with oil and grill alongside: tomatoes 2 minutes cut-side down, peppers 2-3 minutes per side until blistered, and onion rings 1-2 minutes per side until marked.
- Toss the grilled onion rings in a small bowl with the sumac and a pinch of salt to tame their sharpness.
- Warm the pide pieces on the edge of the grill for about 30 seconds per side, then tear or fold into serving portions.
- Place a piece of pide on each plate, top with 2 meatballs, and arrange the charred tomatoes, peppers, and sumac onions alongside. Squeeze fresh lemon over the meatballs and serve immediately.
Cook’s Notes
- Day-old, slightly stale country bread is the traditional binder — fresh bread will make the meatballs dense and gummy.
- Kneading the mixture thoroughly until tacky is essential; this develops the proteins so the patties hold their shape on the hot grill.
- If sivri biber is unavailable, Anaheim or Italian long green peppers are the closest substitute; avoid bell peppers which lack the right smoky heat.
- True Bursa-style köfte is cooked over charcoal or wood embers for smoky depth; a screaming-hot cast-iron grill pan is the next-best option.
- Always dress the raw onions with sumac — it is non-negotiable in Bursa and transforms sharp onion into a tangy, fragrant condiment.
