Kibbeh

My daughter requested this for her birthday, so it motivated me to get the recipe on here for you. Also, you can find this recipe for Kibbeh on my Cooked.wiki.

This is a middle eastern kind of meatloaf. Sometimes it’s prepared raw. My family loves it this way. We also like to dump a Lebanese salad (recipe coming at some point, but you could always just watch Bob make it) on top of this, or next to this, and eat it with syrian bread that has been ripped into bits to make a “laqma” (لقمة) (enough for a mouthful).

Baked Kibbeh (with Hashweh Stuffing)

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb ground beef, divided
• 2 onions, divided
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3/4 cup fine burghul wheat
• Olive oil and water, as needed
• Spices:
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Cinnamon
  • Allspice

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Instructions

1. Soak Burghul
   Place burghul wheat in a bowl and just cover with water (1/4 inch). Let sit until the water is fully absorbed. Probably about 30 mins.

2. Prepare Kibbeh Mixture
   • Finely process 1 onion until pulverized.
   • In a large bowl, mix together soaked burghul, pulverized onion,
     1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp allspice.
   • Add 1 lb ground beef and mix thoroughly by hand until fully combined.
   • Set aside.
3. Prepare Hashweh (Stuffing)
   • Chop the remaining onion.
   • Sauté chopped onion and 1/4 cup pine nuts in olive oil until softened.
   • Add 0.5 lb ground beef, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp allspice.
   • Cook until meat is browned. Set aside.
4. Assemble
   • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
   • Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish with olive oil.
   • Press half the kibbeh meat into the bottom.
   • Spread the hashweh stuffing evenly.
   • Flatten the rest of the kibbeh into small patties, place on top, and smooth into an even layer.
5. Decorate & Bake
   • Score the top with a knife in a diagonal crisscross pattern.
   • Brush with olive oil.
   • Bake for 45–50 minutes, until browned and firm.

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Variation: Unstuffed Kibbeh Patties

• Shape prepared kibbeh mixture into small balls, flatten into patties.
• Arrange on a greased baking sheet.
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes, or until golden.