Kofte Kebab with Tomato Sauce and Yogurt
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 chili pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1½ pounds tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- salt and black pepper
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 pita breads
- 1½ pounds ground beef or lamb
- salt and black pepper
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (optional)¼ to 1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon sumac, plus a pinch more
- 2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
- 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons pine nuts
Instructions:
This is a mainstay of Turkish kebab houses, where it is often dramatically served in a dish with a dome-shaped copper lid, the type that was once used at the sultan's palace.
- Make the tomato sauce first. Fry the onion in the oil until soft. Add the garlic and chili pepper, and stir for a moment or two. Put in the tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until they soften and the sauce is reduced.
- Open out the pita and toast them until they are crisp, then break them into small pieces in your hands.
- For the kofte kebabs, season the ground beef or lamb with salt and pepper, and work it into a soft dough with your hands. Add the onion, if using, and the parsley, and work into the meat. Shape into sausages about ¾ inch thick and 2¾ inches long. Arrange them on an oiled sheet of foil on a baking sheet and cook them under a pre-heated broiler for about 8 minutes, turning them over once, until well browned outside but still pink and moist inside.
- Spread the pieces of toasted pita at the bottom of the serving dish and sprinkle over a pinch of sumac. Pour the hot tomato sauce all over and top with a layer of the yogurt beaten with a fork.
- Heat the butter or oil with the pine nuts and stir in the remaining teaspoon of sumac. When the butter or oil sizzles, sprinkle it all over the yogurt. Arrange the meat on top and serve at once.