Romanian Cuisine: How To Cook Chiftele (Meatballs)

Flat and round meatballs of Romanian traditional cuisine. This is one of the finest recipes that has ever came from Romania. Though many would say that this is just a standard meatball recipe that could be done from your own kitchen, this is a very mouth-watering recipe dish.

Pronounced as keef-tay-lay, the dish is consisted of beef and lamb meat combined with eggs, salt, pepper, onions, garlic, oil, minced potatoes and carrots and flour.

Historically, the word chiftea (singular form of Chiftele) came from the Turkish language Kofta (Middle Eastern meatball). The was because of the strong presence of the Ottoman empire in Romania for  many centuries thus the huge influence over their cuisine.

The only difference between the two? Kofta doesn’t use pork as it is considered as “sinful” or haraam. Chiftele, having pork, is one of its variation.

Today’s Romanian recipe will be about Chiftele. Here is how to cook it.

Ingredients:
500 g lamb (or pork)
500 g beef
2 pcs of eggs
6 cloves of garlic, diced
1 potato
1 carrot (large)
1 onion, diced
Flour, as needed
2 tbsps of parsley
2 crusts of bread (without crust, moist in water)
salt and pepper, as needed
1 cup of oil, for frying

Instructions:

• Peel carrot, potato and onion and shred into small pieces. Peel garlic and crush into very small pieces.
• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl together except flour.
• Make all little balls with your hands and roll them on flour
• Fry the meatballs in hot grease for about 5-7 minutes per side.
• Cool on a paper towel.

Now you’re ready to serve your very own Chiftele! It is best to serve this dish with tomato sauce or ketchup, steamed rice, french fries, salad or anything!

Image courtesy of Authentic Vacations Bucovina. No copyright infringement intended.