Ingredients
- 235 g (8½ oz/1⅓ cups) burghul (bulgur)
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground)
Lean lamb
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
- 4 tablespoons ghee, melted
Filling
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 250 g (9 oz) minced (ground) lamb
- 80 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) pine nuts
- green salad, hummus and Lebanese (large pitta) bread, to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Cover the burghul with water in a bowl, and stand for 15 minutes. Drain, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
2. Combine the burghul with the lamb, onion, allspice, and salt and pepper in bowl. Knead the lamb mixture with 100 ml (3½ fl oz) of iced water to make a fine paste.
3. To make the filling, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and spices, and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the lamb and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture has changed colour. Stir in the pine nuts. Cool the mixture slightly before using.
4. Lightly grease a 30 cm (12 inch) oval baking dish (about a 2 litre/70 fl oz/8-cup capacity). Press half the lamb mixture over the base of the prepared dish, top with the filling, and press the remaining lamb mixture over the top. Using a sharp knife, cut 4 cm (1½ inch) diamonds through the kibbeh. Press a pine nut in the centre of each diamond.
5. Drizzle the kibbeh with melted ghee, and bake for about 1½ hours, or until cooked through. Cover with foil if over-browning. Serve cut into diamonds, with salad, hummus and Lebanese bread.
