Shared by Michael Solomonov
Shared by Michael Solomonov
Mina with Ground Beef
Yield: 10-12 servings
Mina with Ground Beef
Yield: 10-12 servingsFamily Journey
East Liverpool, OhioGnei Yehudah, IsraelPittsburgh
Orlando and Boca Raton, FloridaKfar Saba, IsraelPhiladelphia
Mina is a matzo pie that’s popular throughout the Sephardi world on Passover. “Once the matzo is soaked and baked, it magically transforms into something more like traditional pastry than unleavened bread,” chef Michael Solomonov explains in his cookbook “Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking.” He likes to fill his mina with ground beef and top it with charoset, which adds a nice sweetness and crunch to the dish. The recipe calls for a small amount of cardamom, which can be left out if it’s your custom to avoid kitniyot during Passover.
There are also vegetarian versions of mina, like this one with spinach and feta from Alexandra Zohn’s family. Check out more recipes from Solomonov like his coffee-braised brisket. And, explore our favorite Passover recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon finely ground coffee
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 4-6 sheets matzo
- 1 egg, beaten
- Charoset
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400F. Brush the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a baking dish with oil.
Step 2
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and salt and continue cooking until the vegetables have softened but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes more. Add the coffee and cardamom and stir to combine.
Step 3
Soak the matzo in warm water until pliable, about 1 minute. Line the bottom of the oiled cast iron skillet with the matzo, breaking up the pieces as needed to completely cover the bottom and sides of the skillet. Spoon the beef mixture over the bottom and cover the top with more matzo, pressing at the edges to seal. Brush with the beaten egg and bake until the mina is golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Invert the mina onto a serving platter. Slice into wedges and serve topped with the charoset.
"Mina with Ground Beef, Cardamom, and Coffee” from Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking. Copyright ©2015 by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
