Ground Meat with Sesame Sauce

Ground meat with Sesame Sauce

This dish, which is of Yemenite Jewish origin, is similar to the
Greek dish called moussaka but uses tahini, instead of cheese,
to make it kosher.

SERVES 4-6

2 lbs. Ground lamb or beef
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 clovers garlic, peeled and crushed
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp. pine nuts
1 c. tahini, thinned according to directions on
can

1.)        Preheat oven to 400 F.
2.)        In a large bowl, combine ground meat, parsley,
        onion, garlic, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Knead to
        a paste with hands.
3.)        Brush a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with 1 tbsp. olive oil.
        Spread meat mixture evenly in dish.
4.)        In a small skillet, saute pine nuts in 1 tbsp. olive oil
        over medium high heat, stirring constantly, about 2
        to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove
        skillet from heat as soon as nuts are cooked. Sprinkle
        nuts and cooking oil from skillet over mixture.
5.)        Bake meat for 30 minutes, or until brown on top.
6.)        Pour tahini evenly over meat and bake another 15
        minutes, or until browned and bubbling. Serve with
        rice and salad.

Preparation time:
30 minutes

Baking time:
45 minutes