Chiftele are the Romanian version of a meatball and can be flat or round. They’re normally made with ground pork, which is high in fat, but this recipe is made with lean ground turkey. After the patties are formed you roll them in flour and fry them up! Oh yes, they’re fried, so you know they’ll be delicious! Parsley gives them a traditional Romanian taste but you can also substitute in dill and still get a wonderful flavor. These are best eaten with a Dijon style mustard as an appetizer or as the star of your meal. Normal side dishes include mashed potatoes or rice and cabbage salad has always been a favorite in my family.
Yield about 30
Ingredients
- 1 – 20 oz package lean ground turkey
- 1 shredded potato
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 egg
- Salt
- Pepper
- Flour
- Vegetable oil
Directions
- In a large bowl mix your ground turkey, shredded potato, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add your egg and continue to mix. The best way to do this is to get a little dirty and use your hands! Once everything is mixed well you can start to form little balls.
- Heat up about 1/2 inch oil at the bottom of a large pan on medium heat.
- Once your balls are formed, roll them in flour and flatten them out but keep them round. Place in heated oil. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until they are browned.
- Your pan won’t be big enough to cook all of them at once, so continue the same procedure until you are finished.
- Serve warm with Dijon mustard or with mashed potatoes and a salad!
A Little Sweet Life 