Turkish Köfte (Spiced Beef Meatballs)

Step 1

Mince the onion until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip dots—so they blend invisibly into the meatballs.

Step 2

Finely chop the parsley by slicing it into thin ribbons, then cutting across those ribbons to make small flakes about the size of pinheads.

Step 3

Place the ground beef, minced onion, parsley, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and use your hands to mix gently until just combined—about 1 minute of mixing—so the meatballs stay tender.

Step 4

Wet your hands with cold water, then roll the meat mixture into balls about the size of golf balls (roughly 1.5 inches across), placing each on a clean plate as you finish.

Step 5

Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 12-inch skillet and set the heat to medium-high; wait until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 6

Carefully place the meatballs into the hot oil, leaving a little space between each one, and listen for a steady sizzle as they touch the pan.

Step 7

Let the meatballs cook without moving them for 3 minutes until the bottoms turn deep golden brown, like the color of caramel, then gently roll each one a quarter turn.

Step 8

Cook for another 3 minutes, rolling them gently every minute, until all sides are dark golden brown and the centers are cooked through when you cut one open—total cooking time about 9 minutes.

Step 9

Transfer the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil, then slide them onto a serving plate while still warm.