Izmir Kofte (Kofta from Izmir)

RECIPE

İzmir, historically Smyrna, is Turkey's third most populous city and the country's largest port after Istanbul. İzmir's cuisine has largely been affected by its multicultural history, hence the large variety of food originating from the Aegean, Mediterranean and Anatolian regions. Izmir kofte is a very popular meatball dish, both in Turkey and throughout the world. However, several variations on the recipe exists. Brought to mainland Greece by ethnic Greek refugees from Turkey after 1922, the cuisine of İzmir has had an enormous impact on Greek cuisine, exporting many sophisticated spices and foods.

İzmir Köfte

Ours is an adaptation on a Greek version of Izmir Kofte which had called for red wine to be added to the sauce. The sourness of pomegranate syrup, instead, provides an unexpected but pleasing flavor.

YOU'LL NEED...

   Tomato Sauce (see below)
   2 slices white bread, crumbled or 4 tbsp. plain breadcrumbs
   ¼ cup pomegranate syrup
   1½ lbs (680 g.) ground beef, lamb or veal
   2 eggs
   small bundle of parsley, chopped
   2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
   salt
   ¼ teas. black pepper
   ¼ - ½ teas. ground cumin
   ¼ teas. ground cinnamon
   flour
   ¼ cup (half stick) butter (Greek style) or olive oil (Turkish style)
   4-6 potatos, peeled and cut into half inch slices (optional)
   2 cubanelle (Italian green) peppers, seeded and sliced lengthwise (optional)

   1. PREPARE Tomato Sauce (see below).
   2. While tomato sauce simmers, thoroughly MIX bread (crumbs), syrup, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, cumin, cinnamon and pepper.
   3. SHAPE into finger-length kofte meatballs.
   4. ROLL kofte in flour and brown in butter in a wide bottomed pot. TURN to brown on all sides. REMOVE and set aside.
[If not using potatos, skip the next step.]
   5. LIGHTLY FRY optional potato slices in the butter and meat fat for 10 minutes. Potatos will not be cooked through. POUR in the tomato sauce, cover and simmer potatos 30 minutes.
   6. ADD all kofte (and the optional cubanelle peppers) back to the pot and cook 15 minutes in the tomato sauce.
   7. SERVE potato-less version over pilaf, or pasta.

TOMATO SAUCE INGREDIENTS
   1 large can peeled crushed tomatos (without basil)
   1/3 - 1/2 cup pomegranate syrup
      or ¾ cup unsweetened pomegranate or cranberry juice
   1 tbsp. brown sugar
   1 clove garlic, minced
   salt, black pepper

To prepare the tomato sauce, add all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.