Biftekia are Greek versions of beef burgers, but instead of being served in a bun, they’re baked in a tray with potato wedges and a classic lemon-oregano dressing. “That’s not to say you can’t shove one of these in a bun — there are times that I certainly do,” writes author Georgina Hayden. “But this is a good one-pan dinner.” She kept this recipe traditional (it’s dairy- and gluten-free), but urges cooks to make it their own: a little dried red chile in the meat, slices of cheese on top for the last few minutes in the oven, perhaps a salad on the side. From Hayden’s new cookbook “Greekish” (Bloomsbury, 2024).

1 lb. (400 g) ground beef
2 cloves garlic, divided
1 red onion
1 ripe tomato
2 ½ tsp. dried oregano, divided
1 tsp. dried mint
2 tbsp. (25 g) dried breadcrumbs (gluten-free, if needed)
⅓ c. whole milk (plant-based, if needed)
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
3 baking or large waxy potatoes
1 lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Finely grate in 1 garlic clove. Coarsely grate in the peeled onion and the tomato, discarding the tomato skin. Add two teaspoons of the dried oregano, the dried mint, breadcrumbs and the milk. Finely chop the parsley and add half to the bowl. Crack in the egg and season generously. Drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and scrunch everything together really well, so it’s well mixed.

Cut the potatoes into wedges 1 inch thick. Place 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 the dried oregano, season generously and squeeze over the juice of the lemon. Toss everything together well, then pour a couple of tablespoons of water into the base of the tray. Divide the meat 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.

Cover the tray tightly with foil and pop in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to cook for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and the biftekia are well crusted and cooked through. Finish by scattering over the remaining parsley. Serve as is, or in a bun with cheese.