Ispanak yemeği (spinach and beef meatball stew)

Ispanak yemeği is a hearty and nutritious Turkish stew. The generous addition of garlic and onions provides a wonderful aroma to the rich tomato sauce, balancing the mild, earthy flavours of the spinach (ıspanak - 'uh-spah-nak').

The köfte (beef meatballs) are seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, including fresh parsley, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, ground cumin and ground black pepper. This combination lends sweet and earthy flavours, as well as a gentle warmth that adds depth to the stew. Traditionally, the dish is served with a dollop of sarımsaklı yoğurt, adding creamy notes that complement the rich sauce.

We use a mature spinach variety from Cyprus that has a milder flavour and less bitterness than other varieties. It is also dried than younger varieties. You can use baby or young spinach varieties as a substitute, but will have to adjust the amount of water you add, as well as the cooking time.

We use a mature Cyprus spinach leaf variety for this recipe.

Adding medium grain white rice (not long grain), works to thicken the sauce quickly and provides a variety in texture to the stew. We also add extra virgin olive oil for a smooth finish. You can exclude the köfte to make the dish vegan, but may need to add a bit more olive oil to compensate.

For another delicious dish that includes spinach, try yumurtalı ıspanak (spinach with eggs).

Serves 4 to 5 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the köfte (meatballs)
250g minced beef	½ tsp ground black pepper
20g parsley, finely chopped	½ tsp dried oregano
½ medium onion, finely chopped	⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, finely chopped	⅛ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt, or as desired	5 tbsp sunflower oil for frying, plus extra if needed
For the spinach stew
800g mature spinach (not baby or young spinach), washed and strained	½ tsp ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped	⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
4 large cloves of garlic, chopped	1 tsp salt, or as desired
400g tinned chopped tomatoes	1 tbsp tomato paste
80g medium grain white rice, washed well and strained	2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
300ml water

Hob heat settings

Method

Spinach preparation:

1. Place the spinach leaves flat in batches on a chopping board and cut horizontally along them every 5cm, including the stalks. After you have cut all the spinach, place in a bowl to one side to use later.

   
   

   

   
   

Köfte (meatball) preparation:

1. Mix all the köfte ingredients together and knead well. Take one tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a small round meatball. Repeat to make approximately 18 to 20 meatballs.

   
   

   

   
   

2. Add 5 tbsp sunflower oil to a large saucepan and place on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and fry them, turning every 2-3 minutes until they are browned on the outside and lightly pink in the middle - about 5-10 minutes in total. Remove the meatballs from the saucepan and place to one side.

   
   

Stew preparation:

1. Return the same saucepan you used to fry the meatballs to a medium-high heat. You can top up with a little more sunflower oil if it has run low. Once hot, add the chopped onions and garlic and fry for 5-10 minutes, or until slightly softened.

   
   

2. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and spices, and cook for 5 minutes more, making sure to break the tomato pieces up with the back of a spoon.

   
   

3. Add the spinach and cook while loosely covered for 5-10 minutes, or until the spinach wilts and its juices are released. Stir occasionally by lifting gently from the bottom with tongs. 

   
   

4. Add the fried köfte, rice, water and olive oil. Cook while loosely covered on a medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Lower to a medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes more, or until the rice is cooked through and a rich sauce develops. Stir occasionally while cooking and top up with more water if needed (as some spinach varieties can be drier), but the dish should not be too watery. 

   
   

5. Serve with sarımsaklı yoğurt on the side, along with fresh bread or rice to soak up the sauce.