Kebabs

Cevapi With Ajvar - Beef Kaftas With A Red Pepper Relish

Name: Cevapi With Ajvar - Beef Kaftas With A Red Pepper Relish
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 6 people
Ingredients: 1kg minced meat; 1 red onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika; 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 egg; 150 ml sparkling water; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Sour cream, for serving; Red onion, sliced for serving; 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, chopped for garnish; Ajvar (red pepper relish); 1 head of garlic; 3 red peppers; 1 aubergine; Juice of half a lemon; Olive oil

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
In a bowl, combine the minced beef, onion, crushed garlic, smoked paprika, bicarbonate of soda, egg and season well with salt and pepper. Then pour in sparkling water a little at a time until the mixture is smooth.
Using your hands, combine well and shape the beef mixture into about 22 balls about the size of golf balls and then squash them into a sausage shape about 10cm long.
Place the cevapi on an oiled baking tray, cover and refrigerate until needed. This will help the flavours to develop.
Coat the peppers and aubergine with olive oil, place on a baking tray with the garlic head and cook for about 30 minutes or until charred and soft.
Once the peppers and aubergine are cooked, put them in a plastic bag or zip-lock and let them steam for about 10 minutes, then peel the skin off and deseed.
Squeeze half the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and put them in a food processor/blender with the roasted peppers and aubergine and pulse until you have a chunky sauce.
Stir in the lemon juice, a big glug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Adjust the sauce to taste.
Brush oil on the cevapi and grill on a hot fire or griddle pan, turning occasionally until cooked through and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Heat up the flatbreads or wraps alongside the cevapi.
To serve, spread some ajvar over a warm flatbread, place a few cevapi over the sauce and finish off with a dollop of sour cream, a few slices of onion and a sprinkle of parsley.