2 pounds lean ground beef or lamb (I use 93%/7%)
1 cup fine cracked wheat (#1 bulgur)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon allspice
1 pound lean ground beef or lamb (I use 93%/7%)
1 medium onion diced
1/3 cup pine nuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Soak bulgur wheat in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain water from wheat by squeezing it in your hands. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or meat grinder to combine. Taste and make spice adjustments as needed. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.
Start off by toasting the pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown. Keep an eye on this – they can burn fast. Set aside.
Add olive oil to the pan you used to brown the pine nuts. On medium heat, sauté the onions until golden then add the meat. Crumble the meat as it browns. Stir occasionally until the meat is fully browned. Add in the pine nuts, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
For the top: flatten dough into 1/3” patties. Use a 4-5” spice bowl to make the top. Place plastic wrap in the bowl and lay the patty in the bowl, pressing it against the bowl in order to shape it. Add a few spoons of the kibbeh filling. It should not be completely full. For the bottom: flatten dough into 1/3” patties on plastic wrap. Lay the bottom patty on top of the bow and invert, pressing the bowl into the bottom patty to seal it. Remove any excess dough, lift off the bow, and remove the plastic wrap.
You can either bake or grill the kibbeh, I prefer to bake it. Brush the tops with olive oil. To bake: bake at 350 degrees for one hour using a cooking pan with a wire rack. To grill: grill at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until dark brown. Serve with cucumber laban (see recipe in the Appetizer section).
