Kibbeh
By Nicole KonstantinakosPublished on March 16, 2021
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes soaking, and 1 hour chilling
Yield
Makes 16
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup medium-grind bulgur, rinsed1 cup water 8 ounces ground lamb 1 small onion, chopped½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepperFilling
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 8 ounces ground lamb Salt and pepper 1 small onion, chopped fine1 cup pine nuts, toasted½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses 2 cups vegetable oilBefore You Begin
Note that the dough and the filled kibbeh require 30 minutes of chilling time each. When shopping, do not confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. If you can't find pomegranate molasses, you can make your own. Serve with Yogurt-Herb Sauce, if desired.
Instructions
- combine bulgur and water in bowl and let sit until grains begin to soften, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain bulgur well and transfer to bowl of food processor. Add lamb, onion, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and process to smooth paste, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer dough to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add lamb, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
- Add onion to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, cinnamon, and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, stir in lamb and pomegranate molasses and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and grease parchment. Pinch off and roll dough into 2-inch balls (16 balls total). Working with 1 dough ball at a time, use your lightly oiled hands to press and stretch dough into rough cup with ¼-inch-thick sides. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling into cup, pressing gently to pack filling, and pinch seam closed. Gently form kibbeh into 3 by 1½-inch torpedo shape with tapered ends and transfer to prepared sheet. Cover and refrigerate kibbeh until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Heat oil in clean 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Fry half of kibbeh until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature of 375 degrees. Using slotted spoon, transfer kibbeh to prepared rack and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining kibbeh. Serve.
for the dough
for the filling
Time
1½ hours, plus 30 minutes soaking, and 1 hour chillingYield
Makes 16Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Ingredients
Dough
Filling
Why This Recipe Works
Our goal was to develop an easy recipe for these crowd-pleasing, protein-packed morsels that was at once rich and satisfying, but also delicate and relatively light. Traditionally, meat, bulgur, onions, and spices are pounded in a mortar and pestle to create a very smooth, doughlike paste. We opted for 1 minute in the food processor, and then chilled our dough while we made a flavorful filling of lamb, onion, pine nuts, spices, and a touch of pomegranate molasses. We carefully stuffed our kibbeh, molded them into the traditional torpedo shape, and then, rather than deep-frying them, we found we could achieve a crisp, golden crust by shallow-frying them in a skillet.
Before You Begin
Note that the dough and the filled kibbeh require 30 minutes of chilling time each. When shopping, do not confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which has a much longer cooking time and will not work in this recipe. If you can't find pomegranate molasses, you can make your own. Serve with Yogurt-Herb Sauce, if desired.
Instructions
- combine bulgur and water in bowl and let sit until grains begin to soften, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain bulgur well and transfer to bowl of food processor. Add lamb, onion, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and process to smooth paste, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer dough to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add lamb, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
- Add onion to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, cinnamon, and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, stir in lamb and pomegranate molasses and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and grease parchment. Pinch off and roll dough into 2-inch balls (16 balls total). Working with 1 dough ball at a time, use your lightly oiled hands to press and stretch dough into rough cup with ¼-inch-thick sides. Spoon 1 tablespoon filling into cup, pressing gently to pack filling, and pinch seam closed. Gently form kibbeh into 3 by 1½-inch torpedo shape with tapered ends and transfer to prepared sheet. Cover and refrigerate kibbeh until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Heat oil in clean 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Fry half of kibbeh until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature of 375 degrees. Using slotted spoon, transfer kibbeh to prepared rack and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining kibbeh. Serve.
for the dough
for the filling
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