When the grandkids stay for the weekend, this is the dish that disappears first. Seasoned ground beef patties bake right on top of thin sliced potatoes and red pepper, so the potatoes soak up all the juices, and a blanket of mozzarella goes on at the end. Everything cooks in one pan, which means fewer dishes for Grandma and more time at the table. I serve it with a simple green salad, and there is rarely a crumb left.
Servings: 6 · Prep: 25 min · Cook: 55 min
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 medium onion, finely grated
- 1 medium carrot, finely grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp, divided salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 medium (1 1/2 lb / 700 g) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 large red bell pepper, cut in strips
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 g) butter, cut in small pieces
- 1 cup (120 g) shredded mozzarella
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with a little of the olive oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, flour, grated onion, grated carrot, garlic, parsley, smoked paprika, coriander, 1 tsp of the salt and the pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until everything is evenly combined; overworking makes the patties dense.
- With wet hands, shape the mixture into 8 thick oval patties, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
- Slice the potatoes about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Toss them in a bowl with the rest of the olive oil and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, then spread them in the baking dish in an even, slightly overlapping layer. Scatter the pepper strips and the butter pieces over the top.
- Set the patties on top of the potatoes, leaving a little space between them. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the patties are browned. A thermometer in the center of a patty should read 160°F (71°C).
- Sprinkle the mozzarella over the patties and return the dish to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let it rest 5 minutes before serving.
Tips and variations
- Grate the onion right into the bowl so all its juice goes into the meat; it keeps the patties tender.
- A half-and-half mix of ground beef and ground pork makes them even juicier.
- For the salad on the side, toss lettuce, sliced mushrooms, corn and red onion with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.
- Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge; reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 20 minutes.
Make it once for the family and I bet it becomes your weekend dish too. Enjoy!
