Mediterranean Leeks Casserole - Tave Me Presh
This Mediterranean Leeks Casserole or Tave Me Presh is a typical dish in Albania and other neighboring countries. It's healthy and fresh, full of nutrients and delicious. There are plenty of variations of this recipe. Serve it with salad and bread for an authentic meal.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 412kcal
Equipment
- 1 Porcelain baking dish
- 1 wooden mixing spoon
- 1 Medium size pot
Ingredients
- 8 Leeks
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves add more if desired
- 1 can diced tomatoes (about 14 oz) use fresh when possible
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika can use regular in the absence of smoked
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup beef stock or broth
- 0.5 cups uncooked rice
- 1 cups hot water
Instructions
- I used 8 leeks for a 10X14 baking glass dish and a smaller personal size dish. I separated the green part of the leek for another dish I'll cook next week. If you would like to use the whole vegetable, then you might need only 5-6 leeks for this dish.
- Clean and prep the leeks. Remove the outer layer, cut out the top and as much of the green tail as you like. Wash leeks really well in running water. Once washed, cut leeks in cylindrical shapes to make medallions and add them to a bowl of fresh water so they can soak for half an hour or so.
- Mince garlic and chop onion. Chop fresh parsley and set it aside. Add olive oil to a medium size pot. Add garlic and onion and saute until translucent.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned. Use a wooden spoon to keep stirring and mixing so meat is browned and onions don't get burned.
- Add fresh parsley, oregano and smoked paprika. Then add the diced or crushed tomatoes. Mix everything well and let cook for a few minutes over medium heat.
- Add ground pepper and then the water and stock. I like to keep water boiling in a kettle on the side so by adding hot water, you don't slow down the cooking.
- Drain the leeks and add the leeks and rice to the pot. Mix slowly so you don't break down the leeks.
- Let cook for about 10 minutes. Then pour on the baking dish, even out the top and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Video
Notes
- For keto option don't include rice and bake as is. Don't add the cup of water at the end, so the casserole is not too liquid.
- For vegan option, don't include ground beef, double the rice and add an extra cup of water. You can replace broth with vegetable broth.
- Other modifications include to replace ground beef with chunks of meat, beef, lamb etc according to preference.
- For Mediterranean Diet - the dish is pretty compliant as is, however if you don't eat meat or would like to reduce the amount of meat so you can add less ground beef than what I did and add a little more of onion, rice, parsley and tomatoes. You can even add some freshly chopped carrots.
- Leftovers - refrigerate for few days in an airtight container. Warm up next day, leftovers taste even better:).
Nutrition
Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 248mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3082IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 6mg