Stuffed Potato Fingers
These baked and stuffed potato fingers can be delicious appetizers or a main course. Crispy crust made with mashed potatoes and breadcrumbs and filled with ground beef, onions and chopped walnuts. The sweet, aromatic and tangy spices used with the pomegranate molasses add depth and uniqueness to every bite.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 tbsp salt (for boiling the potatoes)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 3/4 tsp salt ( or more to taste)
Filling
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small onions, finely chopped ( or one medium)
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- olive oil sprayer ( to bake the potato fingers)
Instructions
Potato mixture
- Wash and place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with cool water and add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Cook until soft, around 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them cool for 5 minutes. Peel and mash them in a large bowl using a potato masher or potato ricer.
- Add the breadcrumbs and all the spices (cumin, black pepper, dried mint, cinnamon, salt) and mix everything until well combined. The consistency will be dough like. Set aside.
Filling
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and cook until softened for 4 to 5 minutes, add the ground beef and using a wooden spoon break up the beef into small pieces.
- Cook until browned and cooked through. Add the chopped walnuts, sumac, black pepper, salt, lemon zest and mix well to combine everything.
- Set filling aside to cool.
Assemble and bake.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Fill a small bowl with cold water to be used to wet hands and shape the potato fingers.
- Arrange the water bowl, the prepared potato mixture, the filling and the baking tray on your work surface.
- Wet your hands by dipping them into the water bowl.
- Take a scoop of the potato dough (I used a small ice-cream scoop) and roll it.
- Hold the ball in one hand and, using the index finger of the other hand, make a dent in the middle and enlarge it by pressing gently on the sides to have a thin layer of potato dough but make sure not to tear it.
- Place 1 teaspoon of the filling inside and seal the top. Gently shape it into a small football-shape with pointy ends ( or keep the ball shape if preferred).
- Line it on the baking sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining potato mixture. ( Make sure to wet your hands through each one).
- Spray the potato fingers with olive oil and place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden in color. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the baking sheet. ( To prevent breaking and to hold their shape).
- Serve warm or at room temperature with a dipping of pomegranate molasses or Greek yogurt, or green salad.
Notes
This is a freezer friendly recipe. Arrange the potato fingers in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for couple of hours. Once hardened, transfer to zip lock bags and freeze for later use. Bake from frozen, they will just need more time to bake.
You can as well freeze them after baking and just heat them in the oven before serving.
You can deep fry the potato fingers. I prefer to bake them for a lighter and healthier version.