Yield: 4 servings
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Fill a small bowl with water and set it aside — you’ll use this to help shape the shiftas.
Lightly grease a large, preferably non-stick, baking tray.
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix thoroughly until evenly incorporated.
Using your hands, scoop out portions of the mixture and form them into small sausage-like shapes, about 3-inches long and 1-inch wide, dipping your hands in the bowl of water as needed to smooth the surface and prevent sticking.
Arrange the shaped shiftas on the prepared tray. Bake for 15 minutes. You may see some liquid accumulate on the tray — this will evaporate during the final stage of baking.
After 15 minutes, flip the shiftas over with tongs and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned.
Shiftas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
This recipe comes from Elena Benjamin’s “Indian-Jewish Food: Recipes and Stories from the Streets of Bondi.”
