Ramadan recipe: hasanpasa kofte – Turkish meatballs with potatoes, tomato sauce and vermicelli rice

Join The National and Table Tales on a culinary journey around the Middle East to savour the quintessential dishes that embody the spirit of Ramadan. From table staples to family favourites, this series of recipes – one for each day of Ramadan – pays homage to the holy month and the home cook alike. No culinary tour of Turkey would be complete without a visit to a lokanta. These Ottoman-era establishments were originally created to serve simple but healthy midday meals to tradesmen. In their current iteration, they dish up freshly cooked traditional dishes simmered to deliciousness. Recipe contributor Emel Mubarak says this dish reminds her of the lokantas of Istanbul, “which offer fresh home-style cooking and a lively atmosphere”. “They start cooking the food daily in the morning, and shut shop as soon as stocks run out, which is usually by the afternoon. The food is prepared in large metal pots placed in a cooker lined with firebricks, akin to a pizza oven. When the dish is half-cooked, the chef turns off the heat and allows the pot to simmer slowly.” The main principle of the lokanta, as noted by writer Umur Talu in photographer Riza Erdegirmenci's book Lokanta , "is that you should feel at home". The recipe is said to have been conceived for skilled Ottoman general Hasan Pasha, whose cooks reimagined the traditionally rich Turkish kofte to suit the household’s more health-conscious guests. Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients for the kofte: Ingredients for the mashed potatoes: Ingredients for the tomato sauce: Method for the kofte: Method for the mashed potatoes: Method for the tomato sauce: To serve: This dish has been brought to you by Emel Mubarak and curated by international recipe hunter Hanan Sayed Worrell, author of Table Tales: The Global Nomad Cuisine of Abu Dhabi . The Table Tales concept celebrates the people and stories that give flavour to recipes of the Middle East. _______________ Read more: _______________

Ramadan recipe: hasanpasa kofte – Turkish meatballs with potatoes, tomato sauce and vermicelli rice

Throughout the holy month, 'The National' is teaming up with Table Tales to share daily recipes to experiment with at home