Ingredients
Caul
- 300 gcaul fat, panna, ordered from a butcher
- warm water and a splash of vinegar or lemon, to soak
Filling
- 700 gminced pork, coarsely ground, with good fat content
- 300 gminced lamb, optional
- 2onions, very finely chopped
- 1large bunch flat parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 tspcoarsely ground black pepper
- ½ tspground cinnamon, optional
To serve
- pitta, warmed and opened
- sliced tomato, cucumber, onion
- chopped parsley
- lemon wedges
- tahini or yoghurt, in some grill houses
Equipment
- a charcoal grill
Directions
- Soak the caul in warm water with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for 20 to 30 minutes. Spread it out flat on a board and cut it into squares of about 12 cm.
- Mix the minced pork with the very finely chopped onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Cypriots are firm that sheftalia are pork, onion and parsley, and adding garlic, cumin or other spices makes something else.
- Chop the onion as finely as you possibly can and squeeze out its water. Wet onion makes the mixture loose and it will not hold its shape in the caul.
- Use meat with a decent fat content, around 20 per cent, since lean pork gives dry sheftalia. Mix it with your hands but do not overwork it. Work it just enough to combine. Over-kneaded mince goes dense and springy, and sheftalia should be loose-textured.
- Chill the mixture for an hour, which firms it and makes wrapping much easier. Now shape a small sausage of mince, about the size of a thumb, and lay it on a square of caul. Fold the sides in and roll it up into a small parcel. Wrap it in a single layer only. It should be neatly wrapped with the seam underneath.
- Set them on a tray, seam down, and chill until you grill them. Grill over embers, never flames. Keep a corner of the grill free so you can move them if they flare. Lay them seam side down first, which seals the wrapping shut. Now grill them slowly, turning often, for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cook them slowly and at a moderate distance. The caul will render away almost entirely, leaving a thin crisp brown skin. Cut one open to check rather than guessing. Serve them straight off the grill in warmed pitta. They are eaten hot, and the fat that has rendered into the bread is half the pleasure of it.
Technique
- Caul fat is cheap but must be ordered ahead from a butcher.
- Pork alone is the most common, and a pork and lamb mix is also traditional.
- They freeze well wrapped and raw.
Substitutions
- Pork and lamb mixed, which some households prefer.
- There is no substitute for caul fat; without it the dish does not exist.
Variations
- Made with a pork and lamb mix.
- With a little cinnamon, which some families add.
- Served on a meze plate rather than in pitta.
History
Minced meat wrapped in caul fat, which bastes it as it grills; a Cypriot grill-house staple served in pitta.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sheftalia?
Sheftalia is a street food from Cyprus: caul-wrapped minced pork sausages grilled, stuffed in pita. Minced meat wrapped in caul fat, which bastes it as it grills; a Cypriot grill-house staple served in pitta.
How long does Sheftalia take to make?
Sheftalia takes 40 min plus 1 hr chilling of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 16. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Sheftalia?
Yes, within limits. Pork and lamb mixed, which some households prefer. There is no substitute for caul fat; without it the dish does not exist.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sheftalia?
Use meat with a decent fat content, around 20 per cent, since lean pork gives dry sheftalia. Mix it with your hands but do not overwork it. Work it just enough to combine. Over-kneaded mince goes dense and springy, and sheftalia should be loose-textured.
