Middle Eastern Steak and Potato Layered Casserole | Sainyet Bataba Tabakat

This Middle Eastern Steak and Potato Layered Casserole is such a wonderful savory dish. It's a great way to enjoy potatoes without frying, or adding cheese and cream. 

The flavors of this Middle Eastern Steak and Potato Layered Casserole are pretty amazing. I'm in love with how the different elements of this dish meld together.

I found this recipe on the blog, Chef in Disguise, my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month. This blog is written by Sawsan, who just happens to be an orthodontist who has a passion for cooking. She is Palestinian, and was raised in Amman, Jordan. She now lives in the United Arab Emirates. Her blog is full of easy and authentic Middle Eastern, Arab, and Levantine recipes. She also loves learning about and cooking food from around the world (which is one of my favorite pastimes).

Sawsan's recipes are incredible, and she is an amazing writer. Spend some time on her blog for a taste of life in the Middle East. I could go on and on about her beautiful writing. Please read Sally of Bewitching Kitchen's take on Sawsan. She does such an exquisite job of describing Sawsan's blog.

There were a TON of recipes on Sawsan's blog that called my name. Just browse her recipe index. I have so many of her recipes pinned for later.

I ultimately decided to try this potato casserole, which is one of her "mum's" signature recipes. It's a flavorful and easy dish to prepare, and it's a great way to enjoy potatoes without any added cream or cheese (not there's anything wrong with cream or cheese!). It's a simple dish, layered with tomatoes, potatoes, and flank steak, and seasoned with salt and Allspice.

Notes on my variations from the original recipe: For the potatoes, I used baby Yukon Gold potatoes, and did not peel them. I also used Roma tomatoes, because they typically are the most red and ripe when tomatoes are not in full season. I also added some black pepper.

We had this with naan and a salad, as Sawsan suggests. It was so satisfying and delicious.

This is a bittersweet post, because it is the last month of Secret Recipe Club. I've been a member for over three years. I remember it took me six months to get approved and admitted! I've met some amazing food bloggers, many who have become true friends, including three in real life, because of this group! It's been such a wonderful experience. Be sure to visit the posts after the recipe to read more about this wonderful group, and get some great recipes. While this is not a comprehensive list of all of my SRC posts, here is a just a sampling of some of my most visited SRC posts:

• Homemade Flour Tortillas and Pandesal from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Basic Country Loaf with Spelt from Bewitching Kitchen
• Simple Tomato Soup from My Whole Food Family
• Smashburgers from Cheese with Noodles
• Oven Fried KFC "Copycat" Fried Chicken from Burnt Apple
• Crab Dip from I Am Honey Bee
• Tortas de Chile Colorado de Res from La Cocina de Leslie
• Shrimp and Veggie Summer Rolls from My Hobbie Lobbie
• Chili Macaroni and Cheese from Lindsey Lou's
• Tex-Mex Chicken Soup from BC Mom's Kitchen
• Cheese Tortellini Soup from Fearless Homemaker
• Make Ahead Cold Oatmeal with Honey and Raspberries from Lavender and Lovage
• Greek Salad from Making Memories with Your Kid
• Chiliville Chili from Making Miracles
• Stovetop Tamale Pie from Flying on Jess Fuel
• French Dip Sandwiches from The Spiffy Cookie
• Horseradish Mashed Potatoes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• French Onion Soup from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Baked Eggs with Parmesan and Chives from A Calculated Whisk
• Roasted Pear and Parmesan Salad from 84th and 3rd
• Potato Leek Pie from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Whole Wheat Peasant Boule from Wimpy Vegetarian

Middle Eastern Steak and Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced.
• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced.
• 1 pound of flank steak, cut into 3 inch by half inch strips, against the grain.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• 1 teaspoon Allspice.
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced.
• 1/4 cup olive oil.
• 1/4 cup water.
• Two to three tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley.

Instructions

1. Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a broiler proof two quart casserole with spray oil.
2. Place the tomato slices on the bottom of the casserole, reserving enough for an even layer of tomatoes on the top of the casserole. Top the tomato slices with an even layer of half of the potato slices.
3. Top the potato slices with all of the steak slices. Season with half of the salt, pepper and Allspice.
4. Top the steak with all of the onion slices.
5. Top the onions with an even layer of the rest of the potato slices. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on top.
6. Drizzle with the olive oil and water, and sprinkle with the rest of the salt, pepper, and Allspice.
7. Cover the dish with foil, and bake for one hour and 15 minutes. Remove the foil and place the dish under the broiler for about 2 to 5 minutes. 
8. Sprinkle with the parsley, and serve. 

Make ahead tip: Assemble the casserole, refrigerate, and bake the next day. 

Yield: 4 servings

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