Biftekia me patates sto fourno - Meat patties with roast potatoes

This is a classic Greek family pleaser. Comfort food at its best. Or so I am told. I have never really been a great fan of biftekia (Μπιφτέκια - Greek meat patties, normally made of beef) myself. I 'm not sure if its because I never particularly liked meat when I was young, or that at home they were never cooked with potatoes in the dish and therefore they looked a little lonely (and possibly dry), or that I was once promised beef burgers only to discover what was meant was biftekia - which is not the same thing at all, mum! - and which made me see biftekia as the disappointing enemy...

Anyway, despite of all this, I decided to attempt the dish for Sunday lunch last week. I have never made this before, though I now have a good understanding of what it should look and taste like. My brother has become something of a Greek food connoisseur and I have listened to his analysis of various food-stuff and have also tasted his Greek-style roast potatoes.

So, I put together my various bits of knowledge on the dish, researched on the internet and created my version of what the right bifteki with roast potatoes should be; fluffy, flavorsome and comforting. There was general consensus in what I read and have heard that the roast potatoes should be primarily flavoured with lemon. I also knew that some people add milk to biftekia to add moisture, while others add tomato paste. Why not both, I asked myself - so in they went! Herbs are also something you should be generous with in Greek cooking. These should be fresh, unless we are talking oregano, which is the stable dry herb in a Greek kitchen.

To be honest, they came out better than I expected, and though I am still not a massive fan of meat, I did actually enjoy them. The kids loved them - I have never seen my youngest so enthused by potatoes before! She kept saying they were yummy, and I wasn't even prompting her this time! All in all, a perfect family meal for all seasons.

Serves 4

For the biftekia

500g beef mince
500g pork mince
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tbsp bread crumbs (preferably freshly made)
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp tomato puree
4 tbsp fresh milk
salt
pepper

For the potatoes

1.5 kg potatoes, cut in long thin wedges (as per picture)
juice of one lemon
1 tbsp mustard (I used Dijon)
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of water
salt
pepper
dried oregano

1. Turn the oven onto 170 (for fan ovens, higher for non fan). Start with preparing the potatoes. Once the potatoes are peeled and cut, in a large bowl mix the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, water, salt, pepper and a generous sprinkle of dried oregano. Add the potatoes and mix thoroughly. Lay the potatoes out in a large baking dish and drizzle the rest of the juices on top. Put in the oven for 30 minutes.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, place all the ingredients for the biftekia in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. The mixture should be fairly sticky and should hold when made into a ball. Shape into patties (to the size of your liking - though usually around 7 cm in diameter). Once the potatoes have had 30 minutes in the oven, take them out, give them a good stir and add the patties on top.

3. Return the dish to the oven for a further 40 minutes (turn the patties over half way through cooking), or until the meat patties are cooked through and browned and the potatoes have gone crispy on top. Enjoy with plenty of bread and a salad.