Mashed Potatoes with Ground Beef Kubet Batata bil Siniyeh كبة بطاطا بالصينية

I like to share this recipe that I got from a good friend of mine who resides in Palestine, she makes this recipe all the time and she was delighted to share it with me. I don’t recall my mom ever making it but I felt like trying it and share it here on my blog. It turned out really good, so I hope you’ll try it and like it as well.

If you are a fan of mashed potatoes, you’ll love this recipe. It can stand alone as a full meal with a side of salad or as a side dish for a party dinner, it really can be a nice addition at your table.

The first step is to prep the mashed potatoes. Start with boiling the potatoes, for faster results start by peeling them, cut each potato into four. Fill the pot with water add the potatoes and let it boil for about half an hour. Potatoes can be tested with a fork to check for softness. Make sure they are fully soft. Once ready rinse water out and add butter, milk, salt, and white pepper, smash everything all together until potatoes look fully mashed and ready. Set aside.

While potatoes are cooking you can start prepping the meat. In a separate pot warm oil and add chopped onions. Sauté onions until golden then add ground meat, a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, salt, and paper. Let it cook with occasional stirring for about 15-20 minutes and until meat turn brownish and fully cooked.

Preheat oven on 350 degrees F. In a Pyrex baking tray (any shape is fine) I used a rounded shape size 11x10x1.75 inches. Any other similar size with different shape can work a well, a 11x8.5 inches rectangular shape can work just as well. Grease tray with butter then spread bread crumbs (this step helps to avoid potatoes from sticking after baking). Start layering half of the mashed potatoes first, then the cooked meat then cover with the rest of the mashed potatoes.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, and until the bottom looks golden brown. Take it out of the oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Place baking tray back in the oven for about 5-7 minutes and until cheese looks fully melted. Once out of the oven sprinkle roasted pine nuts or almonds.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 sweet onion
• ½ a pound ground lamb or beef
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 4-5 medium size potatoes
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¾ cup milk
• salt and white or black pepper
• 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
• 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (Optional)
• Roasted pine or almonds for decorations

Instructions:

1. Heat up oil and add chopped onions, sauté until onions are golden.
2. Add ground meat, a pinch of nutmeg, ½ teaspoon of allspice, salt, and pepper to onions and integrate all together. Keep sautéing for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat and until meat is fully cooked. Set aside
3. Meanwhile, boil potatoes in a large pot filled with water. Potatoes can be peeled and chopped into squares for a faster process. This takes about 30-40 minutes. Potatoes can be tested with a fork for softness, make sure they are very soft.
4. Rinse water out and mash potatoes together with butter, milk, salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon of allspice. Set aside.
5. Grease a Pyrex baking tray (SIZE!!) with butter then cover with bread crumb –this step is to avoid mashed potatoes from sticking after baking. Then take half of the mashed potatoes and spread in ½ inch layer, then cover it with the cooked ground meat. Bring the rest of the mashed potatoes and cover the top of the meat. Smooth it all as much as possible.
6. Place the baking tray in a previously heated oven on 350 F degrees and bake for about 30-40 minutes and until the bottom looks golden brown.
7. Take the tray out of the oven and spread shredded cheese and place it back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes or until cheese is fully melted.
8. Sprinkle with roasted almonds or pine nuts.

Serve with a side of salad.

This recipe is enough for 4 people.