Tray-Baked Kibbeh Recipe

Ingredients

• Half a kilo of kibbeh meat, free of sinews
• A piece of ice
• Salt
• 2 1/2 cups fine brown bulgur
• 1/4 cup pre-ground kibbeh spice mix (kibbeh khatwiyeh*)
• A pinch of cinnamon
• A pinch of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon sweet pepper paste
• 1 tablespoon butter for the top
• Filling:
• Nuts: pine nuts, cashews, almonds, or walnuts
• Finely ground meat
• A little oil
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 2 onions, finely chopped (or as needed for the amount of meat)
• A pinch of seven-spice
• A pinch of sumac
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper paste - optional
• Method for the filling:
• Toast the nuts of your choice in a little oil and ghee. As soon as they take on the desired color, add the meat and stir until it changes color.
• Finally, add the salt, spices, and pepper paste, stir, and remove the filling from the heat.
• *Kibbeh spice mix or kibbeh khatwiyeh:
• It consists of: 1 tablespoon kibbeh spices + 1 onion + basil + marjoram + red or green chili pepper, hot or sweet + a handful of bulgur
• Grind all the ingredients well in the electric grinder so the bulgur grains become fine, then spread the mix on a tray and leave it to dry well for at least one to two days. Then store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container and use as needed.

Method

1. Place the meat with a piece of ice (to keep the meat a light pink color) and salt in the electric grinder and puree until it becomes smooth like a paste.
2. Put the pureed meat in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave it in the refrigerator.
3. Soak the bulgur with a little water so it softens well without leaving any noticeable amount of water on it. The goal is just to moisten it well.
4. After about half an hour, begin kneading the bulgur well by hand.
5. When the grains start to break down, add the meat with the cinnamon, cumin, and sweet pepper to the bulgur and knead everything together until the dough is cohesive.
6. Grease an oven tray with a little oil and spread the first layer (half the dough) evenly.
7. Spread the kibbeh filling evenly as well.
8. On a sheet of parchment paper, spread out the second layer of kibbeh dough so it is the same size as the first layer, then place it over the filling and press lightly to smooth the surface.
9. Cut the kibbeh as desired with a knife dipped in water, and decorate with nuts such as almonds or pine nuts, as desired.
10. Distribute pieces of butter over the top of the tray.
11. Bake the tray-baked kibbeh in a hot oven at 200°C until cooked through and browned on the bottom, then brown it slightly on top without overdoing it so it does not dry out.
12. Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle it with a very small amount of water to keep it soft, then serve.
13. Add the chopped onion and stir until softened.