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Kofta bi tahini
Kofta bi tahini: Palestinian kofta and potatoes baked in a lemony tahini sauce
Kofta bi tahini is a family tray-bake from Jerusalem, Nazareth and the West Bank, the kind of dinner that goes into the oven on a weeknight and comes out bubbling and golden: parsley-flecked lamb and beef kofta fingers, sliced potatoes and onions, all covered in a tangy, garlicky tahini sauce. Rice with vermicelli and a chopped salad go alongside. Common mistake: making the tahini sauce too thick; it should pour like single cream, as it thickens a lot in the oven. Chef's tip: brown the kofta and potatoes before they meet the sauce; it keeps the kofta firm and stops the potatoes turning soggy.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the kofta
For the tray
For the tahini sauce
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (7)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Toss 1 ½ lb potatoes and 2 onions with 4 tbsp sunflower oil and ½ tsp salt in a large roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes, until starting to colour.
20 minStep 2: Meanwhile, knead 1 ½ lb lamb and beef mince, 1 onion, 1 oz flat-leaf parsley, 2 tsp seven-spice (baharat) and 1 ½ tsp salt for 2 minutes until sticky. Shape into 15 fingers, each about 8 cm long.
Step 3: Brown the kofta in a hot dry frying pan for 4 minutes, turning, until coloured outside. They will finish in the oven.
4 minStep 4: Whisk 5 ½ oz tahini, ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic and ½ tsp salt; it will seize, then loosen as you whisk in 1 ½ cups water gradually until it pours like single cream.
Step 5: Nestle the kofta among the potatoes and onions, pour the sauce over and bake for 20–25 minutes, until bubbling with golden patches and the kofta reach 160°F inside.
23 minStep 6: Toast 2 tbsp pine nuts in a dry pan if using, and scatter them and extra parsley over before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 47 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does kofta bi tahini take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of flat-leaf parsley?
- Curly parsley or coriander, same amount.
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