Baked Kibbeh
Middle Eastern Meatloaf
Equipment
- 10" Metal Pie Plate or 10" Skillet
- Food Processor
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 lbs Ground Meat Not Lean
- 1 medium Onion Finely chopped
- 1/3 cup Pine Nuts Toasted, if possible, but not necessary
- 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Bulgur Mixture ("Crust")
- 1 cup Wheat Bulgur
- 1 medium Onion Coarsely chopped
- 1 lb Ground Meat Not Lean
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 1/2 tsp Olive Oil
Instructions
Make Filling
- Cook onion in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add lamb, allspice, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up lumps, until lamb is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup pine nuts.
Make Bulgur Mixture
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cover bulgur by 1 inch with cold water in a bowl. When dust and chaff rise to surface, pour off water, then repeat rinsing 2 more times. Cover rinsed bulgur with cold water by 1 inch and let stand 10 minutes.
- Drain in a fine-mesh sieve, pressing hard on bulgur to remove excess liquid, and transfer to a large bowl.
- Pulse onion in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Add lamb, allspice, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and pulse until onion is finely minced (meat will look smooth).
- Add to bulgur and mix with your hands to combine well.
Assemble and Bake
- Lightly grease pie plate with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
- Press half of bulgur mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of plate (up 1 inch if using skillet).
- Spoon filling evenly over bulgur mixture.
- Spoon remaining bulgur mixture over filling and spread to cover, smoothing top.
- Brush top with remaining olive oil and score in a crosshatch pattern with a paring knife.
- Bake kibbeh in middle of oven until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Preheat broiler.
- Broil kibbeh 5 to 7 inches from heat until top is golden brown and crusty, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Lamb is traditional, beef works as well. Could probably be done with other, although spices may need to be modified. I need to experiment with more spices – possibly Zaatar, lemon juice, or others.