Each culture has its own recipe for cutlets. Cyprus also have its own cutlets, and their story has centuries. How to cook Cypriot Keftedes? Find out the old recipe that may have been used two thousand years ago.
The word “Keft” came from Turkish, where it got from the Persian “sweater”, which means “cutlet”. People have already discovered such an effective way to use the remains of meat as cooking cutlets a couple of thousand years ago.
Already in the second and third century AD in Greece Athenaeus in his work, the “Pir of the Wise men” gives a recipe for a dish that is very similar to modern keftes: minced lamb or goat with bread crumbs, herbs and spices.
Of course, for centuries, the recipe could change. So thanks to the Ottoman Empire, spices were in the Mediterranean cuisine, including the cinnamon used in Keftedes.
Each area and every family has its own recipe for these Cypriot cutlets. They also differ slightly from the Greek. We will give the recipe precisely Cyprus Keftedes, recorded from the words of the inhabitants of Famagusta.
Ingredients (for 3 portions):
-600, minced meat (pork or pork with beef),-2 large potatoes-1 large bulb-2 eggs,-2-3 slices of bread or bread crumbs,-parsley,-a mint,-salt,-black pepper,-cinnamon, olive and sunflower oil.
Recipe:
Potatoes are a traditional part of the Cyprus recipe. Grate potatoes on a grater with raw or boil and make mashed potatoes. Onions, parsley, peppermint chop. Soak the slices of bread in water or milk, squeeze before adding to minced meat. In a Greek recipe, bread crumbs are usually used.
Mix minced meat, potatoes, bread, eggs, onions, parsley and mint in a large bowl. Add the amount of salt, black pepper, two teaspoons of ground cinnamon, lemon juice and a little olive oil required. Mix everything well until smooth. Many prefer to give mixtures a little to stand and be saturated with taste, while others are prepared immediately.
From a meat mixture to form oval cutlets, in shape resembling large olives. Keftedes size-5-7 centimeters in length.
Heat sunflower oil to high temperature in a pan. Fry over medium heat. The level of oil in a pan should be such that the cutlets are half immersed in it. During the frying process, we monitor Keftedes and turn them over. Ready cutlets will purchase brown.
If there is no desire to fry keftes in oil, then you can bake them in the oven or prepare them in an air group.
Keftedes are served on their own as the main dish - with french fries, or in St. Petersburg with vegetables, like suvlaki. Keftedes also combine well with tomato sauce, dzaziki and other sauces.
Alina Moseikina
