Israeli

Mafrum

Mafrum is a beloved Libyan-Israeli Shabbat dish of potato pockets filled with spiced beef, fried until golden, then simmered in a tomato sauce. The potatoes become tender and stained red from the sauce while the meat stays fragrant with herbs and warm spices.

Ingredients

• Medium potatoes2
• Ground beef250g
• Small onion, finely grated1
• Garlic cloves, minced3
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped1/4 cup
• Fresh cilantro, finely chopped2 tbsp
• Breadcrumbs or matzo meal2 tbsp
• Egg1
• Ground cumin1 tsp
• Sweet paprika2 tsp
• Baharat or Libyan hararat spice1 tsp
• Ground turmeric1/2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon1/4 tsp
• Salt1 1/4 tsp
• Black pepper1/2 tsp
• All-purpose flour1/2 cup
• Eggs, beaten for coating2
• Vegetable oil, for frying3/4 cup
• Tomato paste2 tbsp
• Crushed tomatoes1 cup
• Water or light stock1 1/2 cups
• Sugar1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice1 tsp

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and slice each one into thick paired slices, cutting almost all the way through so each pair opens like a small book.
2. Place the potato pockets in cold salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat very dry.
3. In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the grated onion, half the garlic, parsley, cilantro, breadcrumbs, 1 egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, baharat, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
4. Open each potato pocket gently and press in a generous layer of the meat filling, smoothing the edges so the potato holds together around the meat.
5. Put the flour in one shallow bowl and the beaten eggs in another.
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering.
7. Dust each stuffed potato in flour, shake off the excess, dip in beaten egg, and fry on both flat sides until deep golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
8. Transfer the fried stuffed potatoes to a plate and carefully pour off most of the oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.
9. Add the remaining garlic to the pot and stir for 20 seconds, then add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, sugar, and water or stock.
10. Bring the sauce to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
11. Nestle the fried stuffed potatoes into the sauce in a single layer, spoon some sauce over the tops, cover, and simmer gently for 45 to 55 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the meat is cooked through.
12. Uncover for the last 10 minutes if the sauce is too thin, then finish with lemon juice and let the mafrum rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Common questions