Passover Lamb Mina
This unusual and impressive lamb matzo dish is the perfect centerpiece for your Passover seder.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
- Domed Baking Dish optional
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant (about 550g)
- Olive oil for brushing and frying
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 medium potatoes (about 500g), peeled and sliced to about ¼” (¾ cm) thickness
- 6-10 slices Passover matzah (adjust for the size of your baking dish)
- 3-4 cups (700mL) chicken stock divided
- 1 medium finely- sliced leek
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound (½ kilo) ground lamb
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup (50g) pine nuts toasted in a dry skillet until lightly browned and fragrant
- ½ cup (15g) finely-chopped fresh parsley
- 3 large eggs beaten
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).Cut the eggplant into 1/3″ (3/4cm) slices, and arrange on a lined sheet pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until browned and very soft, turning halfway.Reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
Step 2
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/3″ (3/4cm) slices. Heat 1/4 cup (60mL) vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fry the potatoes until golden brown on both sides, and transfer to a platter lined with paper towels. Season immediately with salt and pepper.
Step 3
- Pour 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet, and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onions and leeks, turn the heat down to medium, and sauté until light golden-brown.
- Add the garlic, and cook for another minute, stirring frequently, so that the garlic becomes fragrant but does not brown.
Step 4
- Add the lamb to the skillet, breaking the lamb up into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Add the cinnamon, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the lamb has lost its raw, red color. Drain off the fat, and set aside to cool.
Step 5
- Once the lamb, onion, and leek mixture has cooled, combine it with the toasted pine nuts, parsley, and eggs, and mix well.
Step 6
- Next, prepare to layer your dish. I like the look of an molded mina, as shown here, but if that makes you nervous, you can layer your mina in a casserole dish, as you would a lasagna.
- To prepare a molded mina, I suggest generously oiling your dish, and lining it with strips of parchment to prevent sticking.
- Soften matzah by soaking in stock or water for 1-2 minutes
- Line your prepared dish with the softened matzah, and begin layering.
- Add your potatoes first.
- Next, add lamb filling, followed by eggplant, with another layer of matzah in the middle.
- Continue layering in this way. In the end, fold the first layer of matzah over to seal the edges and brush generously with olive oil.
Step 7
- Bake the dish for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly, and unmold (if desired).
- Finish by pouring 1-2 ladlefuls of chicken stock over the dish, and serve hot.
