18 May 2008

Keftedes Stuffed With Cheese (Κεφτέδες Γεμιστές ) by Peter

Keftedes


It is the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada. Originally it was set aside as May 24th but I think that the original meaning of the day, being Queen Victoria's birthday, has been lost. For most it means a day off. I have 4 days free and 4 days free to cook up a storm in my kitchen and still have time to enjoy what life in the valley has to offer.
Ruth from Ruth's Kitchen Experiments has a new weekly blogging event out in the blogosphere where anyone can blog about a recipe they have bookmarked. It can be from a cook book, food magazine, food blog, food website or anywhere at all. We all have recipes that are piling up on our counter tops and clogging up our computer files. Lets get these recipes out of the "wanna be" stage and into our kitchens!!!!!!



One of my favourite bloggers, whom I try to follow on a daily basis, is Peter of Kalofagas - Greek Food & Beyond . Peter is of Greek descent living in my old stomping grounds of Toronto. If only I could join him on the Danforth to enjoy all the wonderful Greek foods I remember. We do have many excellent Greek restaurants here, so I am not deprived by any means. If you are a follower of this blog you will already know that I LOVE everything Greek. I always check to see what my adopted foodie brother Peter is up to and what tasty dish he has in store for us each and every day. Everyone seems to know Peter, he gets around that guy, but if by some chance you haven't had a chance to visit his blog...do not pass GO, do not collect $100...just get over there!!!!

I was surprised upon writing a previous post that I hadn't tried more of his recipes. Everything he makes is so packed with flavour. So...today I am finally getting around to preparing his keftedes recipe. You can find Peters original recipe here . Mine were quite large, the size of a two patty burger. I invited my daughter over for lunch so I served it with the Avocado Tzatziki of a post that is coming and a Greek Salad.

**Keftedes Stuffed with Cheese**

1 kg. of medium ground beef
2 medium onions, box grated
4 slices of bread, soaked in water (or milk), hand squeezed and then crumbled
1 teaspoon of garlic powder/1 tbsp grated fresh garlic
2 eggs (for binding)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
pinch of cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 inch flat squares of cheese (Vlahotyri or Kasseri)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well using your hands. Form palm-sized patties with your hands, then squish them into flat patties and reserve in a platter. Cover with cling-wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Before grilling, allow the keftedes to come back to room temperature. Take your piece of cheese and place it in the middle of one patty. Now place another patty on top and press the two patties together to form one larger keftede. Now using your fingers, pinch the entire perimeter of your patty so that when you grill, the Keftede will hold together and your cheese will not leak.

Grill on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes a side. (Mine were quite large so it was aproximately 15 minutes all told)

Peter says, "Serve with some mustard/Mayo, Boukovo(red chili flakes), a salad and some bread."

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.
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18 comments:

  1. Like you I read Peter's blog all the time and drool over his food. What a great blogging event as well, maybe it'll help me attack that ever growing pile of bookmarked recipes. Even if I did one a day, without adding any new ones it'd take me ages though!
    What a great choice of recipe, it looks so yummy.

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  2. Pete's recipes are clearly wonderful- so many delightful dishes to choose from. You did well in presenting his dish.

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  3. This looks like perfect holiday food! I love Peter's blog, too.

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  4. AnonymousMay 18, 2008

    Peter is great. I spent last summer in Greece and fell in love with the food, and Peter doesn't make it any easier to be away! I just need to cook his food more.

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  5. Val, thank you so much for your kind thoughts and for showcasing the cheese stuffed keftedes. The mega-keftede looks awesome!

    As long as you pinch the edges to seal the two patties into one burger, this dish is a cinch.

    I love the avocado tzatziki...recipe?

    Finally, nevermind visiting the blog...you're welcome to my backyard for a real sampling...just ask Sam of Greek Food...he'll tell ya!

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  6. Sylvie: I like the premise of this event.
    Pixie & Jen: Yes Peter has so many wonderful dishes I have to try. I could do a whole section on Kalofagas!
    Andy: Greece is the perfect destination. I need to go back...another 5 weeks wouyld keep me going for another 2 years:D
    Peter: The avocado tzatziki from Cat Cora is coming in the next post:D Maybe I'll be over some lamb:D

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  7. You did a great job in showcasing Peter's recipe Val...that kefte loks mighty awesome. Can't wait to see the avocado tzatziki recipe...you have me intrigued.

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  8. The bookmarking chain continues - I have now bookmarked your post in order to fix this recipe soon! This gorgeous dish of your creation via Peter - what a phenomenal culinary duo - sounds a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!

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  9. If these keftedes keep popping up everywhere, I don't know how much longer I can put off making them :) Yours look great, Val! And I am looking forward to hearing about the avocado tzatziki :D

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  10. Well doesn't that just put a cheeseburger to shame? :D

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  11. I have never seen anyone do so much justice to food & foodies as you do Val! What good use of Ruth's bookmarked event...I love it too. Peter,Ivy & you are doing really well showcasing Greek food to the world. :0)

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  12. sounds a little like a new and improved double cheeseburger, which delights me no end (especially with those greek flavors). you do nice work. :)

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  13. Ahhhh, I'd bookmarked this recipe on Peter's blog, and now yours, too. Looks lovely with the avocado tzatziki.

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  14. Peter rocks! Hos cooking is amazing and his dishes are always unique! I think you did a great version of his dish!

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  15. Oh this looks wonderful Val you certainly have done Peters recipe justice! Peter I agree has one very great blog :)

    Rosie x

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  16. What a great recipe to recreate! I'm not surehow Peter does it all - blogging almost everyday, commenting on loads of blogs and reading many more too!

    You've done a fab job making these, they look delicious! I only wish my husband liked cheese for me to make these!

    PS Thanks for submitting it for the bookmarked recipes round up! Hope you can take part again sometime.

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  17. Aaaahhh Cheeseeeee! Do you say that when someone takes a picture? Say Cheese :D. Ok, here we say Patata, which of course means... Potatoe!!!!! More suitable for you ;-)

    Back to the dish, looks and sounds fantastic but maybe I could stuff it with something else :D

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  18. You did Peter proud, and then some!! I swear you have Greek flowing in your veins!!

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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