Middle East Meatballs With Cheese Recipes

MIDDLE EASTERN MEATBALLS (KOFTA KEBABS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Add all the ingredients except the beef into a bowl and stir well.
• Add in the beef and stir until just combined.
• Form into 1/4 cup meatballs (I use an ice cream scoop) onto your cast iron skillet or sheet pan.
• Cook for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through.

MIDDLE EASTERN CUMIN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine the ground beef, egg, garlic, bread crumbs, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well mixed. Roll the mixture into egg-sized balls, and set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs; cook until firm, and browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meatballs from the skillet and pour out the fat.
• Bring the water to a boil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Add the cooked meatballs, and simmer in the tomato sauce for 5 to 10 minutes until completely cooked.

MIDDLE EAST MEATBALLS WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring enough water to the boil to cover the rice by at least half an inch above the top level of the rice. Add the rice and cook 15 minutes. Drain.
• Put the lamb in a mixing bowl and add the rice.
• Heat the butter in a small saucepan or skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook until wilted. Add this to the lamb mixture.
• Add the parsley, cheese, dill, salt and pepper to taste. Blend well with the hands.
• Shape the meat mixture into about 24 balls of equal shape. Roll each into an egg-shape patty about two inches long.
• Beat the eggs lightly and add the water. Coat the patties with the egg mixture, then roll in flour.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and add half the patties. Cook about five minutes, shaking the pan and turning the patties so that they cook evenly. Remove and drain on paper towels. Cook the second batch and drain. Put the meatballs into the tomato sauce and bring to the boil. Serve.

MIDDLE EASTERN SESAME LAMB MEATBALLS WITH MINTED YOGURT DIP

Steps:

• To make the meatballs:
• In a small non-stick skillet cook onion and garlic in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in mint, salt, allspice, and cinnamon. Add lamb, bread crumbs, egg, and currants and combine well. Form level tablespoons of lamb mixture into 1 1/4-inch meatballs, arranging on a tray as formed.
• In a small bowl roll half of meatballs, 1 at a time, in black sesame seeds until coated, transferring to a rack set in a shallow baking pan. Coat remaining meatballs with white sesame seeds in same manner, transferring to rack. Meatballs may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Bake meatballs in upper third of oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and just cooked through.
• To make the yogurt dip:
• In a fine sieve set over a bowl drain yogurt, covered and chilled, 3 hours. Discard whey in bowl and transfer yogurt cheese to bowl. Yogurt cheese may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Into yogurt cheese stir mint and salt. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

SPAGHETTI WITH MIDDLE-EASTERN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 1/4 cup onion, bread crumbs, half of the minced garlic (2 cloves), cumin seeds, 2 TBS parsley and 3 TBS olive oil and mix well with your hands.
• Pull off small pieces of the mixture and roll into 1 inch balls.
• In a large nonstick skillet, add a small amount of olive oil and cook the meatballs for about 10 minutes or until browned on all sides; transfer to a platter.
• In the same pan, melt butter and 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat.
• Add remainder of the chopped onion, bell pepper, remaining garlic and cook stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
• Stir in the red wine, reduce heat to a simmer.
• Add tomatoes with juices and all remaining ingredients except the spaghetti and feta.
• Simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
• Add the meatballs and cook for 10 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti as directed on the package and drain; serve topped with meatballs and sauce, sprinkled with the feta.