Easy Lamb Koftas - free-form meatballs
Let me start with a disclaimer, these are not at all traditional!!! This recipe combines lamb mince, spices and garlic, baked in a casserole dish, for a "free form" spiced lamb meatballs with a kofta like taste. If you have any fantasies of ravenously pulling a meaty formation off a stick with your teeth, this is not the recipe for you!
Okay, so they are not pretty but they do deliver on taste and omit the messy step of rolling meatballs. Furthermore, they cook passively in the oven, rather than requiring that one stands over a frypan or BBQ.
This recipe could not be easier! Lamb mince (good quality, please!) is simple loosely mixed with the spices and garlic in a casserole dish, pressed down/together a little, baked in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes, then broken up into meatball sized portions.
We serve this on flat breads with salad (think kebab), or just on salad, as I have done on this occasion. In this fashion, this will serve 4. Since there is only two adult eaters in our family, we usually enjoy the left overs the next day on a Turkish style pizza.
I do recommend that you serve the lamb using a slotted spoon, as the fat from the lamb with render out. This will prevent whatever you are serving it on from becoming drenched in fat. You can then use the leftover lamb fat for another purpose the next day, such as roasting potatoes.
What to serve with these free form koftas.
Here are some more traditional style accompaniments
- Greek salad and lemon potatoes
- Flatbreads, hommus, tabbouleh, pickled cabbage, tzatziki
Personally, I "free-styled" on the accompaniments also.... a herb salad as a nod in the direction of tabbouleh, and a roasted vegetable, green bean, almond and fetta salad.
Enjoy!
Preheat Oven to 180 degree Celsius
In a small casserole dish, loosely combine (more tossing the mix in the spices and garlic, rather than mixing them in) all ingredients, except salt and pepper. Press mixture down, loosely.(if it looks like it is in chunks, all the better for the finished result.)
Bake in oven for 30 - 40 minutes, or until meat is cooked through, and lightly caramelised. Break into approximate meatball sized pieces.
Serve, using a slotted spoon, with your favourite accompaniments.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat Oven to 180 degree Celsius
In a small casserole dish, loosely combine (more tossing the mix in the spices and garlic, rather than mixing them in) all ingredients, except salt and pepper. Press mixture down, loosely.(if it looks like it is in chunks, all the better for the finished result.)
Bake in oven for 30 - 40 minutes, or until meat is cooked through, and lightly caramelised. Break into approximate meatball sized pieces.
Serve, using a slotted spoon, with your favourite accompaniments.
