WHEAT BALLS WITH CACIK

INGREDIENTS:

For the wheat balls:

1 medium-sized onion

200 gr. fine bulgur (crushed wheat)

2 eggs

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp semolina

½ tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp chilli pepper

For the cacik:

200 gr. verdolaga (flower of the Portulaca, or Purslane)

2 cloves garlic

1 medium-sized onion

2 green peppers, char-grilled

½ kg. thick goat's milk yoghurt

200 ml. olive oil

Salt

Muscovado sugar

Others:

Parsley

Walnuts

Pine nuts

PREPARATION:

For the wheat balls:  Chop the onion. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and knead for 10 min. Leave to stand for 5 min. Form balls 1 cm (½") in diameter with half the mixture. With the other half, form larger, flatter balls. Fry in olive oil.

For the cacik: Chop the char-grilled peppers, garlic and onion. Sauté the peppers, garlic onion and verdolaga in a quarter of the olive oil for 5 min. Add salt and sugar and continue to simmer for 5 min. Mix with the goats' milk yoghurt and set aside.

TO SERVE:

Serve the cacik in a metal dish and top with the wheat balls. Sprinkle with parsley, pine nuts or walnuts, as preferred. Serve hot.