Yağlı Köfte - Bulgur Köfte

Life can be interesting if you are open for it and sometimes even if your not.  I go to the Bazaar on Sundays and on the way there and back there is a woman.  She would look at me and talk to whoever was next to  her and even pointed.  I felt uncomfortable but kept going.  This continued for over 6 months then one day she finally approached me.  I was unsure at first because of the whispering, sideway glances and outright staring.  I decided to smile and brave it.  I was pleasently surprised when the contact was friendly.  She asked me a few questions as only the Turks can do and then proceeded to ask me to her place for coffee at some time in the future.  I smiled politely and moved on.  Yesterday I decided to take up her offer and went to her house.  She was very gracious and hospitable and very happy we came.  We had coffee, fruit, tea, biscuits and we stayed for lunch.  She was even happier when I asked if I could take photos.  This is what she made for us.  Yağli Köfte is a köfte recipe famous in Gaziantep and made from the fine form of Bulgur.

Simit Bulur - Fine Bulgur

2 cups Fine Bulgur
2 tbsp pepper paste/tomato paste
2 tomatoes
1 cup of parsley
3 onions
1 head of garlic
1 cup of oil
chilli powder


This köfte is kneaded and takes about 15 mintues of good kneading to get the desired consistency.  (you can of course use your food processor to get the same results). She took the bulgur, chilli and pepper paste and started kneading that together then the onions and garlic.  Once you have that all kneaded in add in the tomatoes until they have been absorbed in.  Add in the parsley and continue kneading.  With all the kneading the ingredients disappear into the bulgur mix.  Add in the oil at this stage, she heated it up and added it in.  Continue kneading for another 5 minutes.  Hand form and serve.  


To make this in your food processor just put everything in together but not all the oil.  Process this with the metal blade until it is a paste.  If it is too dry add in all the oil or if it is too wet add in more bulgur.  You need to be able to form this in your hands with it staying in shape and not falling apart.  Take a small handful amount and shape into an oblong form.

Getting ready

Daughter cutting the veggies

Kneading

More Kneading

Forming the köfte

I enjoyed the köfte and made a new friend.  What adventures will you discover yourselves in today?

http://verygoodrecipes.com/turkish