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Meat, European

Sheftalia with pita bread

Sheftalia are small Cypriot pork sausages flavored with mint and cinnamon, grilled then tucked into pita bread with tomatoes, cucumber and red onion. This recipe serves 4 and takes 40 minutes, including 15 minutes of chilling, rated easy, for about €2.60 per serving. The key to success is a well kneaded mixture that turns sticky enough to hold its shape without a casing.

Tonight, we're heading to Cyprus with sheftalia, these little grilled pork sausages served in pita bread with fresh salad.

Sheftalia with pita bread
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.60
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Sheftalia look like little skinless sausages, browned in a pan or the oven, carrying that quiet hit of mint and cinnamon that instantly says Cypriot cooking. There's no casing to track down, the well kneaded mixture holds together on its own in small sausages about 8 cm long, soft inside and crisp outside.

This is the kind of dish that wins over kids and guests alike on a summer evening, set on the table with warm pitas and raw vegetables alongside. Everyone builds their own pita however they like, with more or less lemon, parsley or red onion, which makes it an easy dinner to pull together even when tastes around the table differ.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground pork 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Parsley 8 sprigs
  • Mint 4 sprigs
  • Tomatoes 2
  • Cucumber 1
  • Red onion 1
  • Lemon 1

Pantry

  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Pita bread 4

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Grate the onion, chop the herbs and mix them into the meat with the salt, pepper and cinnamon.

    Squeeze the grated onion in a cloth first, it releases too much liquid otherwise.

  2. Knead the mixture for a good while, then shape it into small sausages about 8 cm long.

    In Cyprus the mixture is wrapped in pork caul fat, ask your butcher for some, otherwise the shape holds fine on its own.

  3. Let the sausages rest in the fridge. 15 min

    They hold together better once cooked.

  4. Grill them in a pan or in the oven, turning until nicely browned. 15 min

    Only pierce them with a fork at the very end, so they don't lose their juices.

  5. Warm the pitas, fill them with the sausages, tomatoes, cucumber, sliced red onion and a squeeze of lemon.

    A bit of fresh parsley in the pita works even better than a sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Chop the herbs very finely so they spread evenly through the mixture instead of clumping into big bites of mint.
  • Shape the sausages with wet hands, the mixture sticks less and the shape stays neater.
  • Check doneness by cutting one sausage open at the end, the meat should be evenly gray all the way through, with no pink left.

The variations

  • Swap the pork for a mix of ground pork and lamb, closer to the traditional Cypriot recipe.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with mashed chickpeas and an egg to bind, keeping the same herbs and spices.
  • For kids, shape smaller sausages and serve the vegetables on the side instead of mixed into the pita.

What to serve it with

  • Cold herby bulgur or tabbouleh
  • Plain Greek yogurt on the side
  • Iced mint tea

Storage

Cooked sheftalia keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze them raw and shaped, laid out on a tray before transferring to a bag. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat or in the oven so they stay moist.

Questions about this dish

Can you cook sheftalia on the grill?

Yes, a grill works very well and adds extra smoky flavor. Keep the same cooking time as in a pan, watching that the outside doesn't burn before the inside is fully cooked.

Do you really need caul fat?

No, it's not required. A well kneaded mixture holds together fine on its own as small sausages, caul fat just adds a bit more crispness the traditional Cypriot way.

Can you make the mixture ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare and shape the sausages a day ahead, then keep them chilled under plastic wrap until cooking. This even gives the flavors more time to blend.

What texture should the mixture have?

The mixture should turn sticky after fairly long kneading, which is what lets it hold together without a casing or caul fat. If it still feels crumbly, keep working it a few more minutes.

How long does it take to make sheftalia with pita bread?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in sheftalia with pita bread?

About 620 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does sheftalia with pita bread cost?

About €2.60 per serving, or €10.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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