Tourkakia (grilled offal)

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Tourkakia is one of the traditional delicacies we first ate in Sparta. Fragrant offal from goat or lamb wrapped in caul fat, grilled over charcoal and served as appetizers. 

In the Ionian islands they are know as “frigadelia” (see update below).

We had a wonderful time during Easter.   Our children came to Assini from Athens and spent Easter day with our neighbours.

We roasted a lamb on the spit, kokoretsi and sheftalia.

We Greeks, love offal and cook them in many ways.  One of the best ways to try them is grilled over charcoal but a gas grill will do as well.  

I know that many of you may be grossed, just by hearing the word “offal” but trust me you should try them.  The taste is amazing!

You can’t even say that this is a recipe because it is so simple to make.  You only need some lamb or goat liver, lungs, sweetbreads, etc., and caul fat.  

All you have to do is season them with salt, pepper and oregano, wrap them in caul fat and then grill them.

As the leftover caul fat from Easter grilling was not enough,  we just skewered the remaining offal with some leftover caul fat in between each piece.  

The original ones are wrapped in small parcels with the cal fat and then grilled.   These were also delicious but the other ones were even tastier as the fat melts through the offal, adding extra taste.

What are Tourkakia?

Tourkakia, literally mean little Turks.  This is a meze dish we learned in Sparta.  

Although I asked some of the locals who introduced us to this wonderful dish, they didn’t know why they are called so.  

I searched the internet to see if I could find a similar recipe with information but unfortunately, I did not find either.  The only recipe I found with the name Tourkakia were some fiery cured little peppers.

There is an expression in Greek “Ginomai Tourkos” which means I become a Turk, when someone becomes angry and fiery, usually, out of anger.  

I am not sure of their origin but my presumption is that may be the original recipe was fiery.

In any case, these are so finger licking delicious!

We grilled some on Easter Monday.  Although, we still had some leftover lamb and kokoretsi from Sunday, it was our son’s name day and made some as a supplement to what was leftover.

Update May 2019:

Many years later, we visited a “thrakotraverna” (all grill restaurant) in Nafplio and the owner offered us a delicacy called “frigadelia”.  To our surprise this was exactly the same as “tourkakia”. 

I asked if it was a local delicacy and the owner told us that this is a delicacy originates in Lefkada island but it is served all over Greece.

PIN FOR LATER

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

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