Baked Lamb Koftas with Courgette Islands (Inspired by Noor Murad, Polska, and Turkish Flavours)

We’re deep into courgette season here, and the glut is real—I gave away eight just yesterday, leaving them in a box by the door for neighbours to help themselves. With more still coming in from the allotment, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to cook with courgettes.

Recently, while flipping through The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Dağdeviren, I spotted a musakka recipe made with courgettes. Then in Polska, I came across a playful dish of “Pork Klopsiki on Courgette Islands,” where sliced courgettes were layered to form little platforms for meatballs. I loved the idea of courgette islands—both for the visual and the flavour.

That was all the inspiration I needed.

For dinner that night, I turned to Noor Murad’s brilliant “Baked Lamb Koftas with Peppers, Feta and Oregano” (from Lugma and also available online here). It’s a rich and fragrant traybake where the vegetables roast in the oven while the meatballs rest—low fuss, big flavour. I made a few small adjustments and introduced my courgette layers, turning this into a proper summer feast.

It’s a recipe that celebrates the season: juicy lamb koftas, sweet peppers and onions, and golden stacks of courgette soaking up all those tomatoey, spiced juices. I skipped the feta this time, but didn’t miss it—the courgettes added all the richness I needed.

What I changed;

• I skipped the oregano in the kofta mix (just personal preference).

• I shaped the koftas first, then rested them for 30 minutes instead of the other way around.

• Instead of passata, I used about 1kg of grated San Marzano tomatoes for a fresher sauce.

• I didn’t use feta.

• While the peppers and onions were roasting, I fried thick courgette slices in olive oil and stacked them into 3–4 layer “islands.”

• After 8 minutes of baking the koftas, I turned them over and placed each one on a courgette stack, then baked for 12 minutes more.

• I finished with chopped parsley instead of the original oregano topping.

Tender meatballs with caramelised courgettes underneath, soaking up all the good bits in the pan.

Recipe: Baked Lamb Koftas with Courgette Islands

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the koftas:

500g minced lamb (or a lamb/beef mix)

40g panko breadcrumbs

20g parsley, leaves and soft stems finely chopped, plus extra to serve

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 onion (about 180g), grated and squeezed to remove liquid

1 large ripe tomato (about 130g), grated and strained

1 tsp salt and plenty of black pepper

For the sauce and vegetables:

1 large onion, sliced into ½ cm half-moons

1 green and 1 red pepper, sliced into strips

1 tbsp thyme leaves

1½ tsp sweet paprika

1 kg ripe San Marzano tomatoes, grated

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp maple syrup

5 small round courgettes, sliced into 1cm rounds

Olive oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C/425°F).

2. Make the koftas. Combine all kofta ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into 12 meatballs and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

3. Roast the peppers and onions. Toss sliced onions and peppers with 1 tbsp olive oil, thyme, and a pinch of salt. Spread in a large ovenproof dish or skillet and bake for 15 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned.

4. Prepare the courgettes. While the peppers and onions are roasting, fry the courgette slices in batches in a little olive oil until golden. Stack them into 12 small towers (3–4 slices each) and set aside.

5. Make the sauce. Add paprika to the roasted vegetables, then pour in the grated tomatoes, vinegar, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.

6. Add the koftas. Nestle them into the pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven, turn each kofta, and place on top of a courgette stack.

7. Finish baking. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and return to the oven for 12 minutes more, or until bubbling and browned.

8. Serve. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve straight from the pan.