Chiftele

{{Short description|Romanian meatballs}} thumb|Marinated chiftele '''Chiftele''' are flat and round meatballs from traditional Romanian cuisine. Chiftele are usually deep-fried minced pork, mixed with mashed potatoes and spices. Chiftele is traditionally served with pilaf or mashed potatoes. A variant of chiftele has rice mixed inside the meatball, and is called ''perişoare. Perişoare'' are usually added to sour soup to make another dish called ''ciorbă de perişoare.'' Another variant of ''chiftele'' is called ''chiftele de peşte (fish chiftele)'' and is a fishcake made from carp.

== Etymology == The word ''chiftea'' comes from ''köfte'', which is the Turkish word for ''kofta''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CHIFTEA - Translation in English - bab.la |url=https://en.bab.la/dictionary/romanian-english/chiftea |website=bab.la}}</ref>

== History == Centuries of Ottoman presence in Romania has left some variations from the Turkish culinary arts. Chiftele is the Romanian version of Turkish ''köfte''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Marks |first1=Gil |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gFK_yx7Ps7cC&pg=PT943|title=Encyclopedia of Jewish Food |date=17 November 2010 |isbn=978-0-544-18631-6 }}</ref>

== See also == * List of meatball dishes * Mititei * Pârjoale

== Notes and references == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{in lang|ro}} [http://www.gustos.ro/retete-culinare/chiftele-din-carne.html Chiftele's recipe] * {{in lang|en}} [https://www.venturists.net/chiftele-romanian-meatballs/ Chiftele recipe]

Category:Romanian dishes Category:Meatballs Category:Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine