Է ջ մ ի ա ծ ն ի ք յ ո ւ ֆ թ ա լ ա վ ա շ ի մ ե ջ
Not often seen outside of Armenia, this recipe represents an old preparation in which cooks tenderized meat by pounding it between two stones while adding copious amounts of salt. It’s not solely made in the city of Etchmiadzin (which is also the headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church), but that’s where it’s best known. The most common way to prepare this style of kufta is to shape the smooth meat into a ball, boil it, and serve it sliced with butter. Wrapping it in lavash—which is how Nara Davtian prepared it for us in Yerevan—elevates the texture, making it an unforgettable style of meatball encased in crispy bread.
In Armenia, the Etchmiadzin kufta meat comes mixed and seasoned at the butcher. Because we can’t buy the same seasoned meat at American butcher shops, we re-created the recipe by using a food processor to prepare the meat. Read the blending method through before starting, and ensure that the meat is cold before blending. You can shape the lavash in two ways: either tied in a parcel (as shown on the facing page) or rolled up like a burrito, as is done for the Lavash-Wrapped Trout (page 183).
Serves 6
1 lb [455 g] eye of round, cut into 1 in [2.5 cm] cubes and chilled
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 cup [240 ml] cold water
1/4 yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 large egg
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp vodka
1 tsp dried basil (preferably opal basil if available)
LAVASH WRAPS
6 sheets homemade Lavash (page 48) or 3 sheets purchased lavash
6 Tbsp [85 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for spreading
6 sturdy chives or the green parts of green onions (for Parcel Method)
To make the meat filling, place the meat and the salt in a food processor and blend on high speed. After a minute or so, while the machine is running, drizzle in the water. Continue to blend, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the processor, until the meat turns into a smooth, light-pink paste, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a chilled mixing bowl.
In the same food processor (no need to wash it first), pulse together the onion and garlic until finely minced. Add the egg and continue to blend until nearly smooth. Return the meat to the food processor, sprinkle the flour on top, and process just until smooth. Return the filling to the mixing bowl.
Pour the vodka over the filling and sprinkle the basil on top. Using clean hands or a rubber spatula, stir the filling to incorporate the vodka while also mixing in air so the filling is light, not dense. It will look light pink to gray, and that’s perfectly fine.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF [180ºC]. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly oil it. Pick one of the following options for shaping the lavash packets.
PARCEL METHOD Cut the lavash into six 10 inch [25 cm] square sheets. Keep the squares in a plastic bag so they don’t dry out.
Place 1/3 cup [80 g] of the filling in the center of one square of lavash. Place 1 Tbsp of butter in the center of the mixture. Pull up all four corners of the lavash and with 1 chive used in place of twine, tie a knot just above the filling to create a little parcel.
Place the parcel on the prepared pan, and repeat with the remaining lavash. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are toasted golden brown and the insides are hot. (You can test this by putting the tip of a sharp knife into the center of each portion, and then touching the tip to see if it feels hot.)
BURRITO METHOD Cut the lavash into 6 strips about 7 in [17 cm] wide by 15 in [38 cm] long. Keep the cut lavash in a plastic bag so the strips don’t dry out.
Position a strip of lavash with the short side closest to you. Place 1/3 cup [80 ml] of the filling along the base of the lavash, leaving the edges free. Add 1 Tbsp of butter into the center of the filling. Fold the left and right sides of the lavash over the filling, then roll it up as if you were making a burrito.
Place on the prepared pan seam-side down and repeat with the remaining lavash. Spread a little butter on the top of each portion and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops are toasted golden brown and the insides are hot. (You can test this by putting the tip of a sharp knife into the center of each portion, and then touching the metal to see if it feels hot.)
Leftover kufta keeps, refrigerated, for about 3 days. Reheat in the oven until hot in the center.
