Mediterranean Okra Bake

Mediterranean Baked Okra (Albanian Tave me Bamje)

This Mediterranean Okra Bake is an excellent summer, dinner casserole. Explore the taste of the Mediterranean and Balkans with this Okra Bake recipe:). Serve with Greek Salad, rice or side dishes of your choice.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Albanian, Balkan, Mediterranean

Keyword Albanian Food, Balkan Cuisine, Bamje, Bamya, Mediterranean Casserole, Okra Bake, Okra Casserole, Tave me Bamje

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 353kcal

Author Sonila

Ingredients

1 lb ground beed or beef chunks (stew type)
1.5 lbs okra you can add up to 2 lbs
2 medium size onions
4 tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper (optional)
1 tsp salt more to taste if needed
0.5 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Wash and cut the okra as described in the post. Put in a bowl of water. Add a splash of white vinegar to water if the fuzz of the okra bothers you.
Chop the onions and tomatoes in small cubes. Mince the garlic.
Saute chopped onions in medium to high heat while stirring and mixing with a wooden spoon. Add the meat once onion is translucent.
Depending what meat you're using, use your judgement in cooking time but stir often, mix it well so onions don't burn but you want to get it to where meat is browned.
Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped parsley and mix well until tomatoes start to cook with the meat. Lower heat to medium.
Then add salt, pepper and chopped green pepper. Turn oven on at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lastly add okra which have absorbed water from the bowl they were in. Place them carefully in the pot but don't stir vigorously at this point because you want the okra to keep their shape. Let cook for a few minutes. Check how thick or watery the mix is. This depends on the type of tomatoes your used and how much water the okras absorbed. Usually I have to add anywhere from 0.5 - 2 cups and since the quantity varies so much I want you to know how to decide what's needed. You want it to be like a thick stew but not as watery as a light soup.
Pour the okra mix into a baking dish. Bake it for about 45 minutes in the middle rack. If you like the okra to be a bit crispy on the surface, add broiling for 5 minutes at the end.

Video

Nutrition