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A professional presentation of Turkish eggplant and meatball skewers in a baking dish.

Turkish Eggplant and Meatball Kebab Skewers

A stunning guest feast featuring alternating rounds of golden fried eggplant and spice-seasoned meatballs, baked to perfection in a savory tomato sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish
Calories: 428
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 large Eggplants
  • 12 oz Ground Beef
  • 1 oz Tail Fat (optional, finely chopped)
  • 1 medium Onion (grated)
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 cup Breadcrumbs
  • ½ bunch Fresh Parsley
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp Sweet Paprika
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • Salt (to taste)
  • 2 tbsp Tomato & Pepper Paste
  • Vegetable Oil (for frying)
  • 1.5 cups Water (for sauce)

Equipment

  • Wooden Skewers: To thread the eggplant and meatballs.
  • Large Mixing Bowl: For kneading the meatball mixture.
  • Deep Skillet: For frying the components before assembly.
  • Baking Dish: To house the skewers and the savory tomato sauce.

Method
 

  1. Combine ground beef, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, and spices in a bowl. Knead for 10 minutes.
    Kneading seasoned ground beef and breadcrumbs for Turkish meatballs.
  2. Let the meatball mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
    Resting meatball mixture in a bowl to enhance flavor and texture.
  3. Slice the eggplants into uniform rounds and deep fry in hot oil until golden.
    Deep frying sliced eggplant rounds in a skillet until golden brown.
  4. Shape the meat into round meatballs and fry them in the same oil until browned.
    Frying round meatballs in a skillet for eggplant skewers.
  5. Sauté the tomato paste in the leftover oil and stir in water to create a sauce.
    Whisking water into tomato paste to create a savory kebab sauce.
  6. Thread the eggplants and meatballs alternately onto wooden skewers.
    Threading fried eggplant and meatballs onto wooden skewers.
  7. Place skewers in a dish, pour the sauce over them, and add garnish if desired.
    Assembling the eggplant and meatball skewers in a baking dish.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F), checking occasionally until bubbling.
    Baking the eggplant and meatball kebab skewers in a 200 degree oven.

Video

Notes

If you want that authentic charcoal-grill taste at home, you can place a small piece of burning charcoal in a foil "cup" inside the baking dish for the last 5 minutes of baking. Cover the dish tightly with foil to let the smoke infuse the meat and eggplant!