Kiftah bi Tahini

     Welcome to this week's From Our Dinner Table! this time around we are focusing on Mediterranean recipes, which are my absolute favorite. I talked about where I love them and my connection to the region when I wrote about shawarma, but really my love of the food goes deeper than nostalgia. The ingredients and flavors really are the best, in my opinion, better than any other cuisine in the world. Which is why when I saw this theme I knew I had to join in the fun. 

    This recipe is super easy, the taste is like a trip back to the middle east, but you can whip it up in your own kitchen with easy-to-source ingredients, and have it in the oven in under 15 minutes. The Baharat, or Lebanese 7-spice mix is comprised of easy-to-find spices you likely have around the house. The other specific ingredient is tahini, but I live int he middle of nowhere and my Walmart carried three different brands so that's becoming pretty readily available as well. 

    I actually made two versions of this, which is why I baked it in a small baking dish. I did a few of those for the family members that like tahini, and then I topped the other ones with a tomato sauce, which is also common in the region. If you aren't a tahini person, puree a can of diced tomato and add a little salt. Top the meat and potatoes with the tomato before you start cooking, not partway through the process. Enjoy with a chopped salad, eggplant salad, or pickled turnips. 

 

Mediterranean Recipes

• Greek Lasagna Skillet from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Kiftah bi Tahini from Pandemonium Noshery
• Lavash Bread with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Fontina from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Mujadara from Magical Ingredients
• Old Spaghetti Factory Garlic Mizithra from Palatable Pastime
• Sicilian Steak from Art of Natural Living

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Kiftah bi Tahini Recipe

1.5 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bunch parsley, chopped

1.5 Tbsp. baharat

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

2 tsp. salt

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/3 c. tahini

3/4 c. water

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic

2 lemons, juiced

1/2 tsp. salt

Toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 375*F. 

In a large bowl combine the ground beef, chopped onion, chopped parsley, baharat, and salt. Mix with your hands to combine well. Roll into meatballs

Layer the meatballs and potatoes in a casserole or individual baking dish. 

Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the tahini and water and whisk until smooth. Add the lemon, garlic, and salt and whisk again. Set aside. 

Once the meat and potatoes are almost cooked remove from he oven and remove the tinfoil. Drain as much liquid as you can, top with the tahini sauce, and bake for an additional 20 minutes. remove from the oven and top with pine nuts and parsley.