Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 mealy potato, weighing about 12 ounces

　　Salt and pepper

　　1/4 cup pine nuts

　　Vegetable oil for frying

　　1 pound ground lean lamb or veal

　　1 small egg, lightly beaten

　　1/4 cup black or golden raisins

　　Flour

　　

Step 1

Peel and boil the potato in salted water until tender, then drain. Put it back in the pan, mash it, and dry it out thoroughly over medium heat.

　　

Step 2

Fry the pine nuts in a drop of oil, shaking the pan to brown them lightly all over.

　　

Step 3

Mix the ground meat with the mashed potato and add the egg, salt, and pepper. Knead vigorously by hand until well mixed and smooth. Work the pine nuts and raisins into the meat-and-potato mixture.

　　

Step 4

Shape into walnut-sized balls and flatten them slightly. Dip them in flour to coat them lightly all over, and deep-fry in medium-hot oil, turning them over once, until crisp and brown.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf