Kafta bil Sanieh

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Boil the potato slices 8 minutes until barely yielding, then drain well.

   Mark done

2. Work the lamb, grated onion, parsley, allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper together until it turns slightly sticky — a minute of proper mixing, which is what stops it crumbling.

   Mark done

3. Press the mixture into an even 1.5 cm layer across the base of a 30 cm round or equivalent roasting tray.

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4. Score it into six wedges with a knife, cutting right down to the tray.

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5. Layer the potato, tomato and onion rings over the top and drizzle with the olive oil.

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6. Whisk the tomato purée, hot water, molasses and salt and pour it evenly over everything.

   Mark done

7. Bake 45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, the top has browned at the edges and most of the liquid has gone. Rest 10 minutes before cutting along the scored lines.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Parboil the potatoes or they will still be hard when the meat is done.
• Mix the kafta until it goes sticky. That is the binding.
• Score before baking, not after.

Pairing Suggestions

• Plain rice
• A bowl of yogurt
• Pickled turnips

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat covered at 180°C for 20 minutes. It freezes for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.