Mbatten

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, about 800 g
• 400 g minced lamb or beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 100 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 30 g butter
• 200 ml boiling water
• 1 egg, beaten, for the filling
• 3 tbsp fine breadcrumbs, for the filling
• 4 tbsp plain flour
• 4 tbsp fine breadcrumbs, for coating
• 3 eggs, beaten, for coating
• 750 ml sunflower oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges and harissa, to serve

Before you cook

• Chop the parsley and onion very finely.
• Beat the 3 coating eggs in a shallow bowl, and mix the flour with the 4 tablespoons of coating breadcrumbs in another.
• Peel the potatoes and keep them submerged in cold water until needed.

Steps

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the minced meat.
2. Break the mince up with a spoon and cook it for 5 minutes, until it has lost its pink colour.
3. Add the chopped onion, garlic, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, chilli flakes and salt.
4. Pour in the boiling water and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
5. Add the parsley and cook for 10 minutes more, until the pan is almost dry.
6. Take the pan off the heat and leave the filling to cool for 10 minutes.
7. Stir the beaten egg and the 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs into the cooled filling.
8. Cut each potato lengthways into slices about 7 millimetres thick.
9. Cut each slice almost through the middle so it opens like a book with a hinge along one edge.
10. Open a potato slice and press a heaped spoonful of filling inside, then close it firmly.
11. Press the exposed filling at the open edges into the flour and breadcrumb mixture so it is sealed in.
12. Dip the whole parcel in the beaten egg and let the excess drip off.
13. Heat the oil in a deep pan to 170C.
14. Lower three or four parcels into the oil and fry them for 7 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and tender when pierced.
15. Drain them on a rack rather than kitchen paper so the undersides stay crisp.
16. Serve hot with lemon wedges and a bowl of harissa.