Ingredients
- 235 g (8½ oz/1⅓ cups) burghul (bulgur)
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) lean lamb
- 2 brown onions, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts, to top
- 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) melted clarified butter or ghee
Filling
- 1 tablespoon clarified butter or ghee
- 1 small brown onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 250 g (9 oz) minced (ground) lamb
- 80 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) pine nuts
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. Combine the burghul with the lamb, onion, allspice and 1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Knead the lamb mixture with 100 ml (3½ fl oz) iced water to make a fine paste.
2. To make the filling, heat the clarified butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, allspice, nutmeg and ½ teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, 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.
3. Lightly grease a 30 cm (12 inch) oval baking dish with a 2 litre (70 fl oz/8 cup) capacity. Press half the lamb and burghul mixture over the base of the prepared dish, top with the filling, and press the remaining lamb and burghul 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.
4. Drizzle the kibbeh with melted clarified butter, and bake for about 1½ hours, or until cooked through. Cover with foil if over-browning. Serve cut into diamonds, with salad, hummus and pitta bread.
