Carrot Rolls with Apricots and Pine Nuts (Havuc Koftesi)

10 medium-size carrots, peeled and sliced
2 slices bread, rubbed into crumbs
6 dried apricots, finely chopped
3-4 green onions, finely sliced
2 T. pine nuts
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed with salt
1 t. kirmizi biber
1 egg
bunch of parsley, mint and dill, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
plain flour for coating
sunflower oil for frying

Sauce:
3 T. thick creamy yogurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed with salt
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steam the carrots until soft. Drain well, put them in a large bowl, and mash with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead well. If there is any liquid in the mixture add more breadcrumbs, but the mixture should be moist and sticky.

Tip a heap of flour onto a flat surface. Take small portions of the carrot mixture in your hands and mold into oblongs. (This may seem difficult as the mixture is so sticky, but once dipped in flour the kofte are easy to handle.) Dip each kofte in the flour and put them aside.

To prepare the sauce:
Beat the yogurt in a bowl with the garlic and lemon juice. Season to taste.

Heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan and place the kofte in it. Roll them over to brown on all sides and drain them on kitchen paper. Transfer to a serving dish, and spoon the sauce over the hot kofte or serve them separately.

Serves: 4

Source: Classic Turkish Cooking, Ghillie Basan

Prepared by: Frith for the September 2003 meeting