Skewer meatballs 

Widespread in the Middle East with the simple name kebab, the dish has been exceptionally successful throughout the West, becoming a widely consumed street food: köfte (meatballs) are so common in Turkey that there are more or less 300 variations: based on meat, legumes or, more rarely, fish, can be fried, baked or grilled. Among the most typical are the köfte kebabi, also called köfteli kebab or shish köfte "meatball skewers": the meat, shaped in an elongated shape, is strung on wooden or metal skewers, to be grilled or browned in a pan!

Outdoor grilling time: here are the meatballs on the spit! Very simple and fragrant dish that can be served as a second course or as an appetizer or at a buffet lunch. Compared to the traditional recipe it is much faster and probably tastier. Here are the (few) ingredients to make this delicious recipe you will need: 800g of ground lamb pulp (shoulder or thigh), 1 large onion, 1 sprig of coriander (or parsley), 1 sprig of fresh mint, 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, salt and pepper.

For the accompanying sauce you need 250g of whole Greek yogurt, 1 clove of fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 sprig of fresh mint, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

If you do not use classic kabab skewers, steel and plates, soak 16 long wooden skewers, so they will not burn.

Prepare the sauce: blend the garlic and reduce it to puree, mix it with yogurt with 1 generous pinch of salt and white pepper, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint. Cover with oil and then with plastic wrap and keep cool.

Make the meat: peel and chop the onion with the garlic, then apart from the coriander together with the mint. Combine in a bowl the minced meat, chopped coriander and mint, onion with garlic and chili. The original recipe also includes the use of 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 of cumin and 1/2 of cardamom, which I omitted: if you like them, this is the time to add them! Season with salt and pepper and, with lightly greased hands, knead everything until mixed. Form with the mixture 8 elongated meatballs and skewered each, lengthwise, on a kebab spit (or 2 wooden skewers, next to each other). Compact the meatballs by rolling the palm of your hand. Put the köfte on the hot grill and cook for about 5-8 minutes, turning them occasionally. Alternatively, brown in a little oil in a non-stick pan, turning them often, until they are golden. Sprinkle the hot köfte with chopped fresh mint and serve with yogurt sauce.