This week is kafta week — and I mean that in the best possible way. Two different kafta recipes, two completely different results. Add a crispy pan-cooked gozleme, a golden vegetable tray and a nostalgic one-bowl pudding that tastes like it came straight from a grandma’s kitchen, and you’ve got one of my favourite weeks yet.
Everything on this list is achievable on a weeknight, most of it can be prepped ahead, and the dessert takes about ten minutes of actual effort. That’s the kind of week I’m here for. Let’s get into it.
This Week’s Meal Plan
Meal 1: Potato & Egg Roti Gozleme
This one started with a family memory — my mother-in-law’s spiced potato and egg mash, which my boys were completely obsessed with. I’ve taken that same beloved filling, tucked it between two rounds of roti bread, pressed it flat and cooked it in a dry pan until it’s deep golden and crispy on both sides. The result is something between a gozleme and a flatbread, with a squeeze of lemon right at the end that ties everything together. It works as breakfast, lunch or a light dinner — and it comes together faster than you’d think.
👉 Get the Potato & Egg Roti Gozleme recipe
Meal 2: Kafta Meatballs with Rice
This is not a traditional recipe — but it tastes exactly like one. Spiced kafta meatballs browned until golden, then simmered with fragrant rice, vegetables and a drizzle of turmeric water that gives the whole dish a beautiful colour. One pan, one meal, and it reheats perfectly the next day. If you’ve never made kafta before, this is a wonderful place to start.
👉 Get the Kafta Meatballs with Rice Recipe
Meal 3: Kafta Stew with Coriander Sauce
Same kafta mixture, completely different dish — and that is the magic of it. This one simmers in a rich tomato sauce until deeply saucy and satisfying, then gets finished with a drizzle of toasted garlic and fresh coriander blitzed together in olive oil. That finishing sauce is the detail that takes it from a simple weeknight stew to something that feels genuinely special. Spoon it over vermicelli rice and don’t rush it.
👉 Get the Kafta Stew with Coriander Sauce Recipe
Meal 4: One-Tray Roasted Vegetables
I spent years getting mixed-vegetable trays wrong — some things mushy, others still hard, greens gone grey. This recipe is the result of finally figuring it out. Root vegetables go in first and roast low and slow until golden and caramelised. The broccoli and green beans are handled separately at the end so they stay bright and perfectly cooked. It works as a vegetarian main or alongside whatever else is on the table — and it’s one of those things everyone is always happy to see.
👉 Get the One-Tray Roasted Vegetables Recipe
Dessert: Fruit Cocktail Pudding
This one came from a dear friend, and the moment I made it I thought — this is exactly how our grandmas cooked. One bowl, simple ingredients, nothing fancy — just a soft, fruity, syrupy pudding with a buttery glaze poured over while it’s still warm. Top it with whipped cream, pistachios and pomegranate seeds and it looks like a celebration. It tastes even better the next day, so make it ahead and thank yourself later.
👉 Get the Fruit Cocktail Pudding Recipe
A week that’s equal parts comfort and ease. I hope it makes your evenings a little simpler — and a lot more delicious. Share what you make, I love seeing it!
