Meat based dishes
	Köfte (Turkish meatballs)
	These appetising, walnut-shaped morsels are always part of the Turkish mezze.  They are best served hot, but are also quite good at room temperature and also ideal for a picnic.  In Turkey or Cyprus minced lamb is used, but beef or a mixture of both will do.
	Preparation time
	20 minutes  Serves: 4-6
	Ingredients
	2 medium-size slices of crustless stale bread, soaked briefly in water  500 g (1 lb) minced lamb or beef  1 medium-size onion, grated thickly  2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint, or 1 tablespoon dried mint  1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley  1 clove of garlic, crushed  1 egg - salt and black pepper
	For frying
	75 g (3 oz) plain flour 150 ml (1/4 pint) vegetable oil
	Preparation:
	Squeeze out excess water from the soaked bread, leaving it quite dry.  Combine all the ingredients for the Köfte in a bowl and mix well.  Make walnut-shaped balls and keep them covered until they are to be eaten.  Then roll them lightly in flour and fry in hot oil for 2-3 minutes until golden all over.  They can be shallow -or deep- fried.
	Recipies
	References
	Vegetarian dishes have been marked with sign Albrecht, M. (1994), Turkish Cypriot and Mediterranean Cookery, Havellia Publishing, London. Salaman, R., (1991), The Cooking of Greece and Turkey, Sainsbury Cookbooks, London. Jemal, H., Cyprus Today, various.
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