Köfte-Stuffed Aubergine & Courgette Rolls

By Meliz Cooks

I have a brand new recipe for you all and it’s a deliciously cosy one, perfect for the colder season, whilst still bringing all the summery vibes. Juicy köfte, rolled up in thin slices of aubergine and courgettes baked in a garlicky tomato sauce until beautifully golden.

To make things easier, whenever I have odds and ends of bread leftover, I whizz them up in the food processor to make breadcrumbs and store them in the freezer to use in recipes, as and when I need them. 

It’s one of those dishes that looks so impressive but is incredibly easy to put together. You can even prepare it the night before, keep it in the fridge overnight, then simply bring up to room temperature the next day and bake as per the recipe method.

 

It’s also worth noting that the fattier the beef / lamb / chicken mince, the juicier the köfte. If you are using plant-based mince, I suggest mixing together 1 tbsp of flaxseed meal or milled flaxseed (golden or brown is fine) with 2 tbsp of cold water as an egg replacement. Leave to stand for 5 minutes the add to the köfte mixture to help bind and shape the köfte. Use plant-based butter as an alternative. 

Please make it.

Ingredients:

    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 2 large aubergines, cut into 5-6 thin slices each (plus the end slices, keep those separate and roughly chop them up)
    • 2 large courgettes, cut into 5-6 thin slices each (plus the end slices, keep those separate and roughly chop them up)
    • 500g beef / lamb / chicken / plant-based mince
    • 1 large onion, roughly chopped (-+ extra finely chopped parsley for garnish)
    • 30g fresh flat leaf parsley leaves and stalks, roughly chopped
    • 5 large garlic cloves, peeled
    • 100g breadcrumbs (gluten free is fine)
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp dried mint
    • 2 tsp pul biber
    • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
    • 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
    • 2 tbsp tatlı biber salçası (Turkish sweet (mild) red pepper paste)
    • 1 egg
    • 400g Passata
    • 100ml water
    • 75g unsalted butter

Method

Preheat oven to 200c fan / 220c conventional. 

Line a large shallow baking sheet with parchment paper, and arrange the vegetable slices all over - don’t worry too much if some of them overlap. Using 2 tbsp of the olive oil, brush the vegetables all over, then place on the middle shelf of the oven for around 10-15 minutes, just until the vegetables soften slightly (to make them easier to roll) but so they don’t burn or become too fragile from softening too much. Whilst they cook, prepare the köfte mixture. 

Add the onions, parsley, 4 of the garlic cloves, and the roughly chopped aubergine and courgette ends to a food processor, and pulse until everything is very finely chopped. 

In a large bowl, combine the mince, the finely chopped onion, parsley, garlic, aubergine and courgette mixture, the paprika, cumin, dried mint and 1 tsp of the pul biber, most of the salt and coarse black pepper, the breadcrumbs, and the eggs until completely amalgamated.

Take the sliced vegetables out of the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Turn the oven temperature up to 210c fan / 230c.

Add the passata, cold water, grate in three remaining garlic clove and a little more of the black pepper into deep casserole dish or tray (approx 28cm in diameter if round, or 30 x 24cm if rectangular). 

Wetting your hands, shape the mixture into 20-24 equal sized oval-shaped köfte, depending on how many vegetable slices you have. Pop a köfte at the end of one of the vegetable slices and roll up. Once you have rolled them all, arrange them neatly and snugly into the casserole dish or tray. I lay the aubergines horizontally (with the exposed end of the vegetable on the underside, as they look prettier that way, and don’t unravel whilst cooking) and the courgettes vertically so that the köfte are poking out of the tops. Brush everything with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle the remaining sea salt and black pepper over the aubergines, then pop the lid on or cover tightly with foil and bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes.

Melt the butter in a pan, swirl through the pul biber then take off the heat. After 25 minutes, uncover the casserole dish, brush everything with the melted pul biber butter and pop back on the top shelf of the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until the tops are beautifully caramelised. 

Take out of the oven, allow to rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve with rice or bread and some thick strained natural yoghurt and a fresh green salad.