Name: Cevapcici Balkan Kebab
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 75 g ground beef; 50 g ground pork; 0.25 pcs onion; 0.5 clove garlic; 0.25 teaspoon bell pepper; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 0.125 teaspoon ground pepper; 0.125 teaspoon hot paprika; 0.125 teaspoon cumin; 0.125 teaspoon baking soda; 0.5 tablespoon parsley; oil

Step by step process

Preparation

1
Finely chop the onion and press or finely chop the garlic.
TIP:
Use a sharp knife, chill the onion for a moment, and slice it under cold running water, or with brief pauses. These steps will make slicing easier and reduce tearing.
2
In a bowl, combine the ground beef and pork. add the prepared onion and garlic, sweet paprika, salt, ground black pepper, optional hot paprika, cumin, baking soda, and chopped parsley.
3
Work the mixture thoroughly with your hands for 2-3 minutes until it holds together and is slightly sticky - this helps when shaping the rolls.
TIP:
Before handling, dampen your hands and keep the mixture cold. Knead it for 2-3 minutes until the mixture holds its shape, but do not overwork it, so that it stays moist.
4
Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (ideally 1 hour) to allow the flavors to meld.
TIP:
Let the mixture rest in the refrigerator for 15 to 60 minutes after mixing, so the flavors meld and the mixture holds its shape better when shaping.

Shaping and cooking

5
With wet hands, shape 12-16 small rolls (cevapcici), about 2 cm thick and 8 cm long. try to keep an even diameter for uniform cooking.
6
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Add a little oil to a pan. on a grill, you can cook dry or lightly brush the grate with oil.
7
Cook the rolls for 10-15 minutes, turning regularly with tongs, until evenly golden outside and cooked through inside. They'll be done when they have a golden crust and no pink juices run from the meat (if using a thermometer, the target internal temperature is about 72 °C).

Serving

8
After cooking, let the cevapcici rest for 2-3 minutes to allow the juices to settle.
9
Serve warm with bread, chopped onion, ajvar, or a yogurt dip, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley to taste.