Persian lamb stuffed potato cakes

These Persian lamb stuffed potato cakes are a delicious combination of soft mashed potato around a spiced lamb filling. A great snack or part of a meze plate. 

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I've admitted before that we are not exactly big football watchers in our house, but I can appreciate game day snacks. These Persian lamb stuffed potato cakes may be far from traditional football fare, but they have all the right qualities.

For a start, you eat them with your fingers and they're dipable. Delicious mashed Idaho® potatoes wrapped around spiced lamb, fried to give them a little crunchy crust. You really should give them a try, whether you're a football fan or not.

Our lack of football frenzy

For me, it's mainly that I wasn't brought up with football, or American football as it is to me. And to be honest, I find it all takes way too long. (I know, me coming from the country that gave us cricket but I'm not a fan of that either.)

While my husband does support his local team, they are not on TV that much here. We do have the photos of my eldest watching a game when he was only a few months old, complete with my husband's team-colored onesie (his side of the family made sure we had them!). But it's not a regular occurrence - hockey is the sport of choice in our house.

Potato-ful party snacks

As I say, though, I can appreciate game day snacks and Idaho® potatoes can make a great part of whatever you might put together. Potatoes can get a bad reputation health-wise, but did you know they're a great source of potassium, vitamin B6 as well as being fat-free and gluten-free?

Idaho® potatoes are known for their consistency of flavor and they're available year round. Due to the climate they are grown in, there are consistently high solids in the russets, for example, which means fluffier baked potatoes and mash that you can't mess up.

If you're looking for game day ideas, not only are there these lamb stuffed potato cakes, but why not go Spanish with some tasty patatas bravas or Spanish tortilla. You could also make a potato bar, whether that's a mashed potato or baked potato bar, with various self-serve toppings, or what about hash browns or German potato pancakes to dip or load up. Plus, see all the other ideas below for more inspiration.

Making and serving Persian lamb stuffed potato cakes

These Persian lamb stuffed potato cakes are based on a recipe from the Moro cookbook but I've seen other versions as well. I first made the original version years ago and instantly loved them. They're easy to make as all you do is cook some potatoes and mash them, adding a little flour. Meanwhile, cook the onion and lamb with the spices and add the pine nuts. Take small amounts of the potato and flatten it, add some filling and wrap the potato around it. Fry to brown and crisp up the outside then serve.

These stuffed potato cakes make a great snack, particularly dipped in the yogurt sauce I've suggested. Although you can try them with whatever dip you fancy. Or just eat them as they are, of course. I've made them a little smaller so they're a perfect hand-help snack that's great for serving a crowd. Comforting flavors and perfect finger food. What more could you need as part of your game day menu (or just because).

Try these other Persian recipes:

• Dolmeh barge mo (stuffed grape/vine leaves)
• Kuku sabzi (herb frittata)
• Persian herb rice with fish 
• Plus get more Persian recipes in the archives.

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Persian lamb stuffed potato cakes

A comforting combination of warmly spiced meat filling and creamy potatoes.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer/Starter

Cuisine: Persian

Servings: 4 approx - makes 12

Calories: 460kcal

Author: Caroline's Cooking

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Ingredients

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• 2 lb yellow potatoes 900g
• 1 ½ oz pine nuts 42g
• 1 ½ tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoon olive oil divided, or more as needed
• 1 red onion small, finely diced
• ½ lb ground lamb 225g lamb mince
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice or cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamon
• 3 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste tomato puree

Seasoned yogurt for dipping (optional)

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt 4tbsp
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic pepper or half each pepper and dried garlic
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

• Pick out potatoes that are roughly the same size, as far as possible, and boil with the skins on until tender when tested with a knife. If they start splitting, they are done.
• While they are cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until lightly browned.
• Drain the potatoes and allow to cool enough so you can handle them. Mash, add the flour and a pinch of salt and mix well.
• Warm 1tbsp of the oil in a small skillet/frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it has softened, around 5min.
• Add the lamb and break up the meat with your wooden spoon, increasing the temperature a little if needed, so that you brown the meat thoroughly. Add the cinnamon, allspice, cardamon, parsley and tomato paste as well as the toasted pine nuts. Mix well so everything is combined and set aside.
• Take heaped spoonfuls of the mashed potatoes and flatten them out into flat patties. You should get around 12 patties/rounds from the potatoes.
• Take each round of potato and flatten the middle a little in your hand. Put a spoonful of the lamb mixture in the middle and carefully fold the potato over it. You may need to smooth it round a little to join up. Flatten and repeat with the rest of the potato rounds and lamb.
• warm the rest of the oil in a medium-large skillet and fry the potato cakes a few minutes on each side until gently browned, in batches. Take care to turn them carefully and add a little more oil if necessary. Repeat with the rest of the potato cakes.
• Mix together the yogurt, garlic pepper and cumin and use as a dipping sauce, if desired.

Video

Notes

(see video above)

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 1240mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 32.6mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 9.4mg

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This post is sponsored by the Idaho® Potato Commission in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.

See lots of other great potato-inspired recipes perfect for game day:

Fingerling Potatoes

• Cajun Taters & Sausage by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Cheesy Bacon Potato Bite-Sized Snacks by Life Tastes Good
• Potato Football Candy by Shockingly Delicious

Golden Potatoes

• Healthier Mashed Potato Bowls by Cooking Chat
• Potato Salad Tortilla Bowls by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Pulled Pork Potato Skins by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Steak and Potato Pizza by Grumpy’s Honeybunch

Red Potatoes

• Cheesy Sausage Stuffed Red Potatoes by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Cuban Garlic Mojo Potato Salad by Go Epicurista

Russet Potatoes

• Best Potato Wedges by Moore or Less Cooking
• Buffalo Blue Cheese Potato Bites by Dizzy Busy and Hungry
• Potato and Chive Mini Waffles by My Life Cookbook
• Potato Blue Cheese Tartlets by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Potato Nacho Stacks by The Wimpy Vegetarian

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