Turkish Kofte (Mini Beef Burgers)
Inspired by my Turkish grandma’s famous kofte recipe, I'm excited to incorporate our Shawarma BBQ Sauce, which gives the patties an unbeatable piquant flavor. In Israel, we also call these beef patties ”ktzitzot,” a Hebrew word referring to patties made of ground meat, chicken, lamb or even vegetables. For the most juicy, flavorful results, use 80/20 ground beef, which has about 80 percent lean meat and 20 percent fat. To change up the flavor, you can swap out the Shawarma BBQ Sauce for 2 teaspoons New York Shuk Baharat, Ras El Hanout, Fiery Harissa, or Rosey Harissa
Makes 16 patties; serves 4-6
2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 medium yellow onion, peeled, grated and squeezed to remove excess liquid
½ cup toasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup New York Shuk Shawarma BBQ Sauce
2 slices crustless white bread, soaked in water and grated, or 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
½ teaspoon baking soda mixed with ¼ cup lukewarm water
Neutral oil for cooking
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, parsley, onion, pine nuts, salt, Shawarma BBQ Sauce, bread and baking soda mixture. Mix the ingredients with your hands until well combined. Using oiled hands, form the meat mixture into 16 patties, each about 3 inches wide and ½ inch thick.
For grilling: Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. When the grill is hot, either coat with grill spray, or stick a fork in half of an onion, dip it into neutral oil and rub it over the grates to oil the surface and flavor it. Place the patties on the grill and cook, turning once, until nicely browned and cooked through.
For stovetop cooking: Heat a large grill pan or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil, then add the patties and cook, turning once, until nicely browned and cooked through.
