Kibbeh with Labneh or with Meat and Cheese

Ingredients

• 500 g fine bulgur, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
• 300 g finely ground meat
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp kibbeh spice mix
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• A few leaves of basil, mint, and marjoram
• Salt (to taste)
• Meat filling:
• 100 g ground meat
• Oil and 1 small onion
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp sumac
• Mozzarella cheese
• or
• Labneh

Method

1. Drain the bulgur well, then knead it together with the kibbeh meat.
2. Chop the onion and place it in a food processor; add the kibbeh spice, cinnamon, basil, mint, marjoram, and salt, and pulse until finely blended.
3. Add the bulgur and the meat and process again until you have a cohesive kibbeh dough.
4. Shape the kibbeh dough into small or medium balls, make a hollow in each, then fry the patties in oil.
5. Prepare the filling: finely chop the onion and sauté it until softened, then add the meat and cook until done.
6. Add the spices, salt, sumac, and pine nuts; stir briefly then remove from the heat.
7. Arrange the fried kibbeh patties hot on a plate. Put a little mozzarella into the hollow of each, then add some of the meat-and-pine-nut filling, and sprinkle a little grated cheese on top.
8. To make kibbeh with labneh: after the fried kibbeh cools slightly, pipe or spoon some labneh into the cavities using a piping bag or a spoon.
9. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
10. For more ways to make kibbeh, see Fried Kibbeh