Stranger Foods

Photograph of Spicy bulgur wheat meatballs in garlicky tomato sauce.

TurkishSpicy bulgur wheat meatballs in garlicky tomato sauce

Serves 6-8 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 1 hr 10 mins

I once travelled to the Cappadocia region of Anatolia in central Turkey to visit the famous ancient rock formations, and during that trip I fell in love with this recipe – sulu köfte: tiny little meatballs containing bulgur wheat, so this is my homage to that recipe. Traditionally, they are served as a soup or with a locally made pasta called eriste, but tagliatelle works beautifully.

Source: Simply

Ingredients

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Imperial

x0.5

500 g minced lamb (20% fat)
100 g uncooked bulgur wheat
1 large onion, minced in a food processor or very finely chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp garlic granules
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
cooked, buttered tagliatelle, to serve

For the sauce

3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 large head garlic, cloves separated and thinly sliced
2x 400 g cans chopped tomatoes
500 ml cold water
½ tsp chilli flakes, to taste
Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

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Put all the main ingredients into a large mixing bowl and, using your hands, work them together really well for a few minutes until evenly combined. Roll the mixture into 4 cm balls, compressing the mixture firmly to ensure they retain their shape.
To make the sauce, place a large saucepan over a medium heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes until translucent, without browning. Add the canned tomatoes, chilli flakes, the water and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, add the meatballs and stir to coat in the sauce, then simmer gently for about or so with a lid on but slightly ajar until the meatballs are cooked through. You want to reduce the liquid to a rich sauce-like consistency so remove the lid after if it looks too watery. Check and adjust the seasoning before serving with buttered tagliatelle.

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