Baked Lamb Patties in Tahini Sauce

Ingredients for 20 large patties (serves 6-7)

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) ground lamb (with some fat)

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 heaping tablespoon baharat spice mix

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup fresh parsley or coriander, chopped

The Tahini sauce:

1/2 cup raw tahini

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2-3 tablespoons pine nuts

To Serve:

Fresh chopped mint

1. Prepare the patties: Mix the meat with the onions, garlic, parsley or coriander, baharat and olive oil. Knead thoroughly and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 220 dgC (425 dgF)
3. Knead again and form large flat patties. Arrange in a siniya pan or ovenproof pan and bake for 10 minutes.
4. While the patties are baking, prepare the sauce: Whisk the raw tahini with one cup of water – the sauce should be smooth and quite thin. Add the lemon juice and season to taste.
5. Pour the sauce over the partly baked patties. Sprinkle the pine nuts and bake for 10-15 minutes until the tahini sauce forms a crust over the patties. Garnish with chopped mint and serve immediately.

Janna Gur / The Book of New Israeli Food