Middle Eastern Cottage Pie (Potato-Kibbeh)

This is a Middle Eastern take on Cottage Pie. Traditional Kibbeh uses Bulghur (cracked wheat) but here Potato is used to make a delicious casserole.

The Recipe Intro↓ has more information as well as Recipe Video. Don’t forget to check it out.

Ingredients:

Minced beef		¾ kg
Light Soy sauce		2-3 Tbsp
Vinegar		¼ tsp
(1 Tbsp each fresh ginger and garlic pounded to a paste without water)		2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
Garlic, chopped finely		3 generous Tbsp
Shallots, chopped finely		1 ¼ cup
Ginger, chopped finely		1 Tbsp
Coriander powder (or more to taste)		2 tsp
Chilli powder		1 tsp
Ground allspice ( or Arabic 7 spice)		½ tsp
Green chillies, roughly chopped (remove seeds or use the less hot variety2Tbsp)		3 hot
Spring onion, greens ( loosely packed)		½  cup
Parsley, finely chopped (optional)		¼ cup
Pine seeds (can  substitute with chopped cashew nuts) - optional		¼ cup
Potatoes ( or 8-9 medium sized )		5 large
Sunflower oil		¼ cup
Egg white , beaten		1
Salt and Pepper		To taste

Method:

1. Marinate the mince in the soy sauce, vinegar and ginger garlic paste for 1 hour.
2. Place the peeled and cut up potatoes in a steamer with some water and microwave for about 12 minutes, stirring in between. Alternatively, steam or boil till well cooked and strain.  Set aside.
3. In a non-stick pan/wok, heat the oil.
4. Add the garlic and fry till golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for later.
5. Remove most of the oil from the pan, leaving a small amount to stir fry the shallots. Reserve the rest of the garlic oil.
6. Add the shallots and ginger to the pan. Stir fry till golden, then add the coriander, allspice and chilli powders. Stir till aromatic. Set aside with the fried garlic.
7. Preheat oven to 200ºc/390ºF
8. Wipe the pan clean if necessary. Add little less than half of the remaining garlic oil and heat again.
9. Add marinated mince and stir fry with the green chillies, salt and pepper(1/2 tsp) to taste. Fry till water evaporates and the mince is cooked tender without over-drying the meat.
10. Return all the fried ingredients (garlic, shallots and ginger with spices) to the pan and stir to combine.
11. Add the spring onion and toss well. Remove and set aside to cool off.
12. If using pine seeds/cashew, toast them in the pan till golden. Add to the meat mixture, now OR serve as a final garnish.
13. Once the mince mixture has cooled down a bit, mix in the beaten egg white.
14. Heat the remaining garlic oil. Add the cooked potato and stir fry till the oil is infused and the potato ‘just’ starts to brown. Add salt and mash well.
15. Lightly oil a baking dish.
16. Layer half of the mashed potato. Cover with the mince mixture. Seal the top with the remaining potato mash. Make some designs in the potato with a fork.
17. Add some cold butter shavings over the top.
18. Bake for 30 minutes.
19. Optional – Lightly beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Pour over the top and broil another 10 minutes   (oven heat only from top) till top is golden.
20. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Middle Eastern Cottage Pie (Potato-Kibbeh)

Notes:

• Optional: Make the top potato layer smooth. Beat 1 large egg with salt and pepper and spread over the potato layer before baking.

Key Ingredients: Minced Beef/Lamb, Potato, Garlic, Shallots, Ginger, Spices, Spring Onion, Parsley, Salt, Pepper, Oil

EAT AND TELL!!! Let us know if you tried –  Middle Eastern Cottage Pie (Potato-Kibbeh)

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