Ingredients
Mixture
- 700 gminced beef, 20 percent fat, or half beef and half mutton
- 150 gstale white bread, crusts off, soaked in water and squeezed dry
- 2onions, grated and drained of juice
- 3garlic cloves, crushed
- 1large egg
- 2 tbspdried mint
- 1 tbspdried oregano
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 1.5 tspfine salt
- 1 tspblack pepper
- ½ tspbicarbonate of soda
Optional filling
- 150 gfeta, in 1 cm cubes
To fry and serve
- 100 gplain flour, for dusting
- 300 mlsunflower oil, for shallow frying
- lemon wedges, raw onion rings, chopped parsley
- kos yoghurt and pickled peppers
Directions
- Grate the onions and squeeze them hard in a cloth. Their juice would make the mixture wet and the qofte would fall apart in the pan.
- Knead the mince, squeezed bread, onion, garlic, egg, herbs, spices, salt and bicarbonate together with your hands for a full 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes sticky, smooth and slightly elastic.
- Rest it covered in the fridge for at least 2 hours, and ideally overnight; the bread swells, the salt draws out protein and the mixture holds together far better.
- Wet your hands and roll into 24 balls of about 40 g, then flatten each to a thick oval about 1.5 cm deep. To stuff them, press a cube of feta into the centre and seal it in completely.
- Roll each qofte in flour and tap off the excess. That thin coat is what gives the fried crust and stops them sticking.
- Heat 1 cm of oil in a heavy frying pan to 180°C (350°F), until a crumb sizzles briskly, and fry in batches without crowding.
- Cook 4 to 5 minutes a side, turning once only, until deeply browned and firm to the press, with clear juices when one is opened.
- Drain on a rack, not paper, and serve hot with lemon, raw onion, parsley, kos and pickled peppers.
Technique
- The kneading is the technique. Working the mixture until it turns tacky develops the meat protein into a network that binds without needing much filler.
- Dried mint, not fresh, is the Albanian signature in qofte. Fresh mint tastes green and thin here and disappears in the frying.
- A pinch of bicarbonate raises the pH slightly, which keeps the mince juicier and helps it brown faster.
Substitutions
- Rusk or breadcrumbs, 80 g, can replace the soaked bread, though the result is a little denser.
- Grill the qofte over charcoal instead of frying for qofte të fërguara in the Korça grill house style; skip the flour and brush with oil.
Variations
- Qofte Korçe are flatter, wider and grilled, served on bread with raw onion.
- Qofte me salcë are fried, then simmered 15 minutes in a tomato and pepper sauce and served with rice.
History
Fried minced-meat patties seasoned with mint and cheese; the Korçë version, qofte të fërguara, is the best known.
Frequently asked questions
What is Qofte?
Qofte is a main from Albania: fried herbed meatballs, often with feta and bread. Fried minced-meat patties seasoned with mint and cheese; the Korçë version, qofte të fërguara, is the best known.
How long does Qofte take to make?
Qofte takes 30 min plus 2 hr resting of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 24 meatballs, serves 6. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Qofte?
Yes, within limits. Rusk or breadcrumbs, 80 g, can replace the soaked bread, though the result is a little denser. Grill the qofte over charcoal instead of frying for qofte të fërguara in the Korça grill house style; skip the flour and brush with oil.
