Okra, tomato and potato casserole (bamies)

Aunty Pam next door would cook bamies (okra) for Tina Roukis. "I loved this slimy vegetable and I would wipe the bowl clean with crusty bread."

Okra, tomato and potato casserole by Tina Roukis, New South Wales. Credit: Mark Roper

• serves

  4

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  50 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh or frozen and thawed okra, stalks removed
• 125 ml (½ cup) white wine vinegar
• 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
• 4–5 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized wedges
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 x 400 g cans, chopped tomatoes
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper
• ½ bunch dill or flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Crumbled feta, to serve (optional)
• Crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

1. Place the okra in a large non-reactive bowl, pour over the vinegar and add enough water to just cover the okra. Set aside for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Heat the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat, add the potato and cook for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add the tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar, oregano, bay leaf and 250 ml (1 cup) water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir well for 2 minutes. Add the okra, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, until the potato is tender.
3. Scatter over the chopped herbs and crumbled feta (if desired), and serve with crusty bread on the side for mopping up the sauce.
   
   

Note

• You can also add chicken to this dish to make it a more substantial meal. Simply brown a few chicken drumsticks for about 10 minutes at the start of cooking, then add them with the okra before simmering.

Recipe and image from Yiayia Next Door by Daniel & Luke Mancuso (with Yiayia) (Plum, $36.99)

Photography by Mark Roper.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.