Mpiftekia: Hearty Greek Beef Patties vs İslim Kebabı (Toothpick Kebab)

Both dishes start from a similar mix of ground beef, grated onion, garlic, parsley, egg and breadcrumbs, yet they head in different directions. Mpiftekia tastes herbal and bright, with fresh mint, dried oregano and a splash of red wine vinegar in the meat; the patties are grilled or baked until charred and juicy, with feta as an optional stuffing. İslim Kebabı seasons smaller meatballs with cumin and paprika, browns them, wraps each in fried eggplant and bakes the bundles in a tomato and bell pepper sauce until very tender.