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Embattan – Libyan Fried Potatoes Stuffed With Beef

This is my take on a classic Libyan appetizer that is a favorite in any true Libyan heart – the embatna! There’s nothing quite like this anywhere in the world and once you have one bite, you won’t be able to stop. A potato sandwich stuffed with spiced beef, fried and baked to crisp perfection, then dipped in a tomato sauce pool!
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Ingredients

  • 4 large Russet potatoes
  • 1 pound ground beef, 95/5
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon paprika
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice, optional
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • tomato sauce, optional

Instructions 

  1. Wash and peel skin off potatoes.
  2. Slice the potato thin but do not cut all the way down, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch at the bottom unsliced. Then, make another slice right next to it but this time going all the way down. This is how you make the "potato sandwich." Repeat with the rest of the potatoes.
  3. Once all the potatoes are sliced into the sandwiches, place them in a large bowl with salted warm water. This will help the potatoes soften up a bit.
  4. While the potatoes soften, prepare the filling. Over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a pan.
  5. Once the oil is hot, add the ground beef, garlic cloves, parsley, cilantro, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, ginger, salt, and black pepper. Using a wooden spoon, break apart the meat as it cooks to avoid clumping. It's done when it is no longer pink.
  6. Allow the ground beef to cool. A shortcut to this is to pop it in the freezer and stir every 10 minutes until it's not steaming anymore. Once it's cooled, add 2 eggs to the mixture and stir to coat evenly.
  7. Drain the water from the potatoes and pat dry. Stuff each potato with the ground beef filling.
  8. Prepare three separate bowls for dredging the stuffed potatoes. To the first bowl, add 1 cup flour. In the second bowl, add 3-4 eggs and whisk together to form an egg wash. In the third bowl, add 1 cup of breadcrumbs.
  9. First, coat the embattan in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip it in the egg wash, allowing any excess to drip off. Then, dip the meat side in the breadcrumbs mixture. Repeat for the rest and set on a baking sheet or parchment paper.
  10. While frying, preheat oven to 400°F. Over medium-high heat, place a deep pan on the stove with enough vegetable oil to at least cover 1/4 of the embattan when dropped in. The oil will rise more as you add them in and you don't want them to be drowning in oil. Drop them in when the oil is hot enough that they sizzle right away.
  11. Allow to get golden on each side before flipping over and taking out of the oil. Set them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
  12. Set up a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you'd like, dip them in tomato sauce and place on the baking sheet. Otherwise, just place them on the baking sheet right away and pop in the oven to bake for 25 minutes minutes. They'll get a little more dark and crispier on the outside.
  13. Serve and enjoy!

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!