PASHA MEATBALL (PASHA KJOFTE)

This dish is old, Macedonian, our grandmothers prepared it. It's possible it has Turkish roots, because the word 'Pasha' or 'Paşa' represents a higher rank in the Ottoman Empire political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitaries and others. However, Macedonia was under Ottoman Empire for 5 centuries and many recipes are inherited from the Turkish cuisine. This dish is consisted of small meatballs in a special soup prepared from flour which we call 'kasha'.


Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

• 500 g minced beef
• 50 g rice
• 1 egg
• 1 grated onion
• finely chopped parsley
• ground black pepper
• ¼ tbs salt

For kasha (soup):

• 4 tablespoons of flour
• oil
• 1 liter of water 
• 2-3 tbs tomato puree
• 1 large carrot (optional)
• 5-6 pieces of garlic
• mixed spices (vegeta), black pepper, parsley, bay leaf

Preparation:

1. First boil rice until half cooked.
2. Mix minced meat with onions. Add dried spices, black pepper, egg, salt and parsley and add cooked rice. Mix well everything, then form balls with a size of a ping-pong ball.
3. Fry meatballs in hot oil.
4. When done, remove meatballs from the pot and align on a kitchen paper.
5. In the same pot, add carrots to fry a bit, then add the flour to fry just a little to change color.
6. Then pour water and add chopped garlic, black pepper, mixed dried spices to taste, bay leaf and tomato puree and return meat balls in the pot. Leave to simmer quietly until rice in balls is fully cooked (about 10-15 minutes).
7. Serve warm.