Meat and Potato Mina Recipe

Step 1

Put potatoes in a small pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain, cool and peel the potatoes and mash them in a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Meanwhile, toast pine nuts in a large skillet over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes until fragrant and golden, shaking the skillet often to keep them from burning. Add to the mashed potato.

Step 3

Add 2 Tbsp oil to the same (empty) skillet; increase the heat to medium-high. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring several times, until golden but not browned. Add the beef and cook until it’s no longer pink, using a fork to break up any clumps. Stir in 1½ tsp salt and the black pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from the heat; add to the mashed potato bowl and mix well.

Step 4

Lightly beat two eggs, then stir them into the mashed potato mixture until well incorporated.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking dish (9×9- or 8×8-inch pan) with cooking oil spray.

Step 6

Put the warm broth in a container wide enough to hold a couple of the matzah (a square or rectangular cake pan is a good option), stacked. Soak them in the broth for at least 30 seconds and up to 1 minute, until they are very flexible, shaking off any excess broth. It is important to soak the matzah for long enough, otherwise the mina may come out too dry. Don’t worry if the matzah breaks through the process, as you can always reassemble it in the pan. Line the bottom of the baking dish with a double layer of matzah. Use a soaked matzah square to line each side of the baking dish. (They will be folded over the filling.)

Step 7

Spread the potato-meat mixture over the bottom matzah, then fold the matzah from the sides over it. Soak the remaining two matzah squares in the broth and use them to create a double top layer.

Step 8

Combine ½ cup of the broth you used for soaking the matzah, the remaining 4 Tbsp oil, the remaining three eggs and the remaining ¼ tsp salt in a liquid measuring cup, stirring well. (Keep an extra ½ cup of the broth and discard the rest.) Pour the mixture over the top matzah, tilting the baking dish slightly to make sure the egg mixture covers evenly and soaks into the sides and corners.

Step 9

Bake for 20 minutes and check the mina; if the top seems to get too dry, and the matzah curls upward, use the extra ½ cup broth that you kept and drizzle it all over the top. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes longer, until golden brown and somewhat firm.

Step 10

Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.