Classic Biftekia and Chips Recipe

It’s summer, so your freezer is likely stocked with store-bought beef patties waiting to be charred. But before you fire up the grill, consider the classic biftekia and chips recipe from Georgina Hayden’s new cookbook, Greekish , which are baked in a roasting tray.

“Biftekia are the Greek version of beef burgers,” Hayden writes, “but instead of being served in a bun, they’re baked in a tray with potato wedges and classic lemon-oregano dressing. I’ve kept this recipe traditional but have a play: a little dried red chili in the mince [and] some slices of cheese on top for the last few minutes in the oven. Make this your own. Perhaps add a gesture of a salad on the side for good manners.”

Of course, you can always pop the patties on buns and call it a day. Either way, this one-pan meal is sure to impress.

^{Excerpted from Greekish: Everyday recipes with Greek roots. Used with the permission of the publisher, Bloomsbury. Copyright © 2024 by Georgina Hayden}

Whole Grilled Halloumi with Apricots Recipe

458 calories

23g fat

40g carbs

25g protein

5g sugars

1 pound ground beef

2 garlic cloves, divided

1 red onion

1 tomato

2½ teaspoons dried oregano, divided

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 ounce dried breadcrumbs (gluten free, if needed)

3 ounces whole milk (plant-based, if needed)

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, divided

1 large egg

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

3 baking or large waxy potatoes

1 lemon

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the beef in a large mixing bowl. Finely grate in one garlic clove. Coarsely grate in the onion and tomato, discarding the tomato skin. Add two teaspoons of the oregano, the mint, breadcrumbs and milk. Finely chop the parsley and add half to the bowl. Crack in the egg and season generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and thoroughly combine.

2. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch-thick wedges. Place them in a large roasting tray and finely grate in the zest of the lemon and the remaining garlic clove. Sprinkle over the remaining ½ teaspoon of oregano, season generously and squeeze over the juice of the lemon. Toss everything together, then pour a couple of tablespoons of water into the base of the tray. Divide the beef into four equal patties; you want to flatten them out quite a bit, as they will shrink in the oven. Nestle the burgers in among the potatoes and drizzle over a final bit of olive oil.

3. Cover the tray tightly with foil and bake until the beef is partially browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the potatoes are golden and the biftekia are well crusted and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Finish by scattering over the remaining parsley.