Tagen Batates (Egyptian Clay-Pot Beef and Potato Casserole)

Drain off excess marinade from the beef and pat it dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a pot and brown the beef in batches on all sides; crowding the pot will make it steam in its own juices instead. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.

Add the water, bay leaf, crushed cardamom, allspice, salt, and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, reduce the heat, and simmer until the beef is tender enough to pull apart when pressed with a fork. Drain the beef and reserve the broth for the clay pot.

Cook the grated tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed garlic, cumin, and salt in a pan for 8 minutes, until the oil separates. Add 400 ml of the reserved beef broth and bring to a boil. The sauce should be thin enough to pour; a thick sauce will not flow between the potato slices.

Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 8 mm slices; do not fry them. Arrange a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the clay pot, add all the beef, then cover with the remaining potatoes. Tuck in the sliced peppers and dot with pieces of butter.

Pour the sauce down the side of the clay pot; the liquid should reach halfway up the top layer of potatoes without covering it. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 15 minutes, until the top potatoes are browned. A skewer should slide easily into the top layer.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles and holds together when spooned. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and bring the clay pot to the table. Serve with plain rice and yogurt.