A friend from work, Ken, once offered me a beef dish at lunchtime that was so delicious it left a lasting impression. While we were eating, he kindly shared all the ingredients and explained his cooking method in detail. Inspired by that moment, I decided to try recreating the dish myself, and now I’m excited to share the recipe with you.
🥩Ingredients
1.2 kg potatoes (floury type is best)
Olive oil
Salt & black pepper
🥩 Meat sauce
500 g minced beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
1 tsp oregano or thyme
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tin chopped tomatoes
Salt & pepper
Optional: splash of red wine
Béchamel topping
80 g butter (6 tbsp)
80 g flour (10 tbsp)
750 ml milk
½ tsp nutmeg
100 g grated cheese (parmesan, kefalotyri, or a mix)
Salt & white pepper
🍽️Instructions
Prepare the potatoes.
Peel and slice potatoes 5 to 7 mm thick.
Parboil in salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, just until tender.
Toss lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Make the meat sauce
Fry onion in olive oil until soft and golden.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add mince and brown well.
Stir in tomato paste, cinnamon, allspice, and oregano/thyme.
Optional: splash of red wine and let it reduce.
Add chopped tomatoes and season with salt & pepper.
Simmer 20 to 30 minutes until thick.
Make the béchamel.
Melt butter in a pan.
Add flour; cook 2 minutes to remove raw taste.
Gradually whisk in milk until smooth.
Cook until thick but pourable (like custard).
Remove from heat, add nutmeg, cheese, salt, and white pepper.
Stir until smooth.
🍽️Assemble
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
Oil a baking dish.
Layer half the potatoes.
Spread all the meat sauce evenly.
Layer remaining potatoes.
Pour the béchamel over the top and smooth gently.
🔥 Bake
Bake 45 to 50 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting to set a little.
The creamy cheese melting on top of fluffy potatoes and tasty beef.
The crispy edges mixed with the soft inside and gooey cheese made it taste really delicious and satisfying.
Give it a try and enjoy!
Have a lovely day.
Mariah :)