Burger patties and potatoes with tomato in the wood fired oven

A classic recipe of Greek-style burger patties in the oven -a lesser-known version- is what we’ll share with you today. It’s basically patties with potatoes in the oven, but topping the potatoes with tomato sauce is what makes it special. It’s an old and traditional dish that both kids and grown-ups love. The more common version today has potatoes with lemon juice, which has replaced the tomato sauce. This time, I’ll make this dish for my children, and my younger son, Dimitris, will be my assistant. Let’s see how to make fluffy burger patties and potatoes with tomato sauce.

INGREDIENTS

For the mince:

500g (1.1 lb) ground beef (brisket)
500g (1.1 lb) ground pork (rump, with fat)
150g bread (stale and without the crust), soaked in water
15g sea salt
1g black pepper
1g coriander
1 tsp thyme
1 large onion
1g garlic powder
2 eggs

For the potatoes:

1.4kg (3.1 lb) potato wedges
1tbsp sea salt
1 pinch of black pepper
1tsp oregano
1tbsp sweet paprika
1tbsp tomato paste
150ml extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion

PREPARATION

Two hours before you preheat the indirect wood-fired oven, prepare the mince. Mix the two types of ground meat in a large vessel. Firstly, whisk the two eggs, and add them to the mince along with the onion. Mix well. Then, bash spices in a mortar, so that they’re freshly ground, combine with the salt, and add the spice mix to the mince. Lastly, add the bread, after you’ve soaked it and squeezed out the excess water. Knead well one more time and leave the mince aside for 2 hours, before shaping the patties.

Cut the potatoes into wedges in a baking tray (use a clay baking tray for better cooking results). Add the spices along with the salt and mix well. Then, add the onion. Shape the burger patties using 150g-160g of mince, and place them among the potato wedges, not on top, so that they’re in touch with the tray’s surface. That’s essential for fluffy patties. Otherwise, they’ll be dry and tough.

Fill a small bowl halfway with water and dissolve the tomato paste. Add the olive oil to this bowl, as well, and mix. Pour this mix over the potatoes and add a little water, if it’s necessary, to cover the potatoes halfway with liquid. Now, you’re ready to cook.

COOKED ON Indirect wood-fired oven

COOKING

Cook in the indirect wood-fired oven. Before preparing the potatoes, preheat the wood-fired oven. Place kindling (alcohol-soaked cotton) inside the fire chamber and add thin pieces of dry hardwood on top. Then, add thicker pieces of dry hardwood on top of them. Wait until the oven’s temperature reaches 200⁰C (392⁰F) and the pieces of wood turn into embers. Now, you’re ready to place the clay baking tray with your food in the oven.

Close the door and cook for 1.5 hours or a bit longer, depending on the rate of decrease in temperature. There should be only oil and tomato sauce left inside the vessel.

When the food is ready, remove the clay baking tray from the indirect wood-fired oven and wait until it cools down. Serve your burger patties warm and accompany your dish with seasonal salad. Try it out and you’ll get to taste the best and the juiciest burger patties ever made. It’s the best recipe for burger patties and potatoes in the oven.

Happy cooking everyone!