Kefta Bil Sayniyeh

The best thing about kefta is that you can cook it in so many delicious ways! In this recipe, kefta is cooked with potatoes, a thick tomato sauce, and served over rice. Kefta bil sayniyeh is Arabic for kefta in a pan or casserole dish, (sayniyeh meaning pan). This recipe goes well over Eva's Riz Bil Sharieh, so be sure to check out the easy recipe here!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef
  
• 3 potatoes (russet potatoes)
  
• 1 cup diced onion
  
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley or dried parsley
  
• 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
  
• 1 large tomato (optional)
  
• Salt
  
• Pepper
  
• Olive oil
  

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425
2. In a bowl, add ground beef, onions, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and pinch of pepper and mix together well
3. Once kefta is mixed, form into golf ball sized balls and then into patties, and put onto platter (makes approximately 12 patties)

4. Peel 3 potatoes, rinse, and slice into rounds, then lightly salt ( a few dashes)

5. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet and heat on medium 
6. Once oil is heated, place potatoes in pan until lightly browned on both sides
7. Once potatoes are golden brown, move them on to a plate covered with a paper towel (to collect excess oil)
8. If using a nonstick pan, no need to use additional oil for the patties, if not, drizzle some olive oil and place patties on same frying pan (about 3 minutes on each side) and fry until cooked. 

9. In a casserole dish, layer bottom with potatoes. Add patties as a second layer, and then top with tomatoes 
10. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water to casserole dish, and a pinch of salt and pepper

11. After 15 minutes in oven, add tomato sauce and spread (not mix) over top of meat, set timer for another 15 minutes
12. Begin cooking your rice
13. After 15 minutes if it’s boiling and bubbling, turn stove off and let rest for 5 minutes

Enjoy!