Preheat the oven to 375 F
Combine the lamb, beef, minced garlic, diced onion, parsley, and spices into a large bowl and mix well until all ingredients are well combined.
Roll into small meatballs (we always do a more cylindrical shape, see in photos above) and place into the bottom of a baking dish. Set aside.
Next, prep the sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium saucepan.
Add diced onion and garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
Add in the crushed tomatoes and spices including bay leaf and allow to simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes while you prep the remaining ingredients.
While the sauce cooks, heat up canola oil for frying the potatoes in a large pan. You want to use enough oil to cover the potatoes, the amount will vary depending on the size of your pan.
Once the oil is hot, add your potato slices in batches, frying them until golden brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side. Once cooked, remove from the oil and set aside on a paper towel to drain. Continue until you have finished with all the potato slices.
Now arrange the baked kaftas. First, pour the sauce over the kaftas.
Next, top with the fried potatoes followed by the tomato slices.
Cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
Top with fresh parsley and serve with vermicelli rice or pita.
