Makes 4 servings
Kofta is a highly flavored Middle-Eastern dish of ground meat, sometimes shaped into a sausage or meatball shape without a casing. Here, it’s broiled with vegetables and served with a traditional Middle Eastern sauce. While you can serve this supper alongside pita rounds, you can also offer it right inside pita pockets: Put the kofta and roasted vegetables in the pockets, include chopped iceberg lettuce if you want, and serve with tahini sauce for drizzling or dipping.
1 pound lean ground lamb
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large egg
1 small yellow onion, finely minced
⅔ cup unseasoned dried breadcrumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh dill fronds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 large red onions, thinly sliced and broken into rings
2 large yellow bell peppers, stemmed, cored, and cut into thin strips
¼ cup olive oil
⅓ cup tahini
¼ cup regular or low-fat plain yogurt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Water, as needed
4 pitas
1. Mix the lamb, beef, egg, minced yellow onion, breadcrumbs, mint, dill, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until uniform. Form into eight sausage-like logs.
2. Set the logs, red onion rings, and pepper strips on a large lipped baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over everything.
3. Position the rack 6 inches from the broiler element; heat the broiler for a couple of minutes.
4. Broil, turning the kofta and tossing the vegetables once, until the meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes.
5. Whisk the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until uniform. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to create a sauce with the consistency of pancake batter.
6. Transfer the contents of the baking sheet to a serving platter. Drizzle the kofta and roasted vegetables with the tahini sauce and serve with the pitas.