Today I’m sharing kefta bisaniyeh, or meat in the pan.
Every family loves kefta. It’s simple, nutritious and kids go crazy for it.
Kefta or kofta, depending on the region, means ground beef mixture. It can come in kebab form, it can come in meatballs, and in this case, it’s spread across a pan.
Syrians love to combine all the nutritional elements in one dish, and it’s no different here. Ground beef is combined with crushed onions, spread across a pan and topped with potato slices and veggies. Pomegranate molasses adds a beautiful tartness to the meat that will make you want to keep coming back for more.
The meat mixture itself is super versatile. You can add zippy parsley, chili peppers, and whatever seasoning you have on hand.
Lots of different recipes exist out there, and this one comes from my mom’s very good friend. I love it because the meat and potatoes are not only delicious, but she adds a little kick with jalapeño, which may not be kid-friendly, but it sure is tasty! The potatoes are roasted separately so they get nice and crispy.
If you do try this recipe, don’t forget to mention it in the comments, and tag @omayahatassi and #omayahcooks on Instagram.
Kefta Bsaniyeh (Meat in the Pan)
Ingredients
- 1/4 c tahini
- 1 lb 90-95% lean ground beef
- 2 small yellow onions, 1 thinly sliced, 1 grated
- 1.5 tsp Arabic 7 spices or all spice
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1-2 tsp salt*
- 1 tomato
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1.5 lbs potatoes, sliced about 1/4 in thick
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 c tahini
- 1/2 c pomegranate molasses
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 f (190 c) and place your oven racks on the bottom and top third
- Prepare a 9x13 inch roasting pan by spreading the tahini on the bottom
- Combine the grated onion, ground beef, 7 spices, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Spread the meat mixture onto an even layer in the roasting pan and top with the sliced tomatoes, onions and jalapeños. Cover with foil.
- On a separate baking sheet, toss the sliced potatoes with the olive oil, season with salt & pepper
- Place both the covered roasting pan and the baking sheet in the oven.
- Roast the potatoes until they're golden-brown and beginning to crisp, about 30 minutes, tossing halfway through. Set aside when finished roasting.
- Also at the 30 minute mark, the veggies in the roasting pan should begin to shrivel up and release their juices. Take the roasting pan out of the oven, drizzle with the pomegranate molasses, and place back in the oven uncovered.
- Roast for another 30 minutes or so until some of the moisture has evaporated and the meat is cooked all the way through.
- The kefta and the potatoes can be made up to 2 hours ahead. Just before serving, scatter the meat with the potatoes and place back in the 375 degree oven until heated through (about 10 minutes). Serve immediately.
- *the amount depends on your salt's saltiness. err on the side of less salty if you're not sure.