Name: Lebanese Kibbeh bil Sanieh
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: لبنانية
Ingredients: 2 cups fine bulgur, soaked; 500g finely ground lamb (for the shell); 1 onion, finely minced (for the shell); 1 tsp cumin and mixed spices; 300g coarsely ground lamb (for the filling); 2 onions, chopped (for the filling); 1/2 cup pine nuts; 3 tbsp ghee; Salt and black pepper

Two layers of bulgur and minced meat encasing a rich meat-and-pine-nut filling, baked in a tray and sliced like a pie.

المقادير

2 cups fine bulgur, soaked

500g finely ground lamb (for the shell)

1 onion, finely minced (for the shell)

1 tsp cumin and mixed spices

300g coarsely ground lamb (for the filling)

2 onions, chopped (for the filling)

1/2 cup pine nuts

3 tbsp ghee

Salt and black pepper

خطوات التحضير

Squeeze the soaked bulgur well to remove excess water, then process it with the fine meat, onion, and spices until smooth and cohesive (the kibbeh shell dough).

Make the filling by sautéing the chopped onion and coarse meat in ghee until cooked, then add pine nuts and cook until golden.

Divide the shell dough in half; press the first half evenly into a ghee-greased baking tray.

Spread the filling evenly over the first layer.

Gently press the second half of the dough over the filling, then score diamond shapes on the surface with a wet knife.

Brush with melted ghee and bake in a hot oven (200°C/390°F) for 35-40 minutes until golden, then serve hot.

نصيحة

Keep your hands wet with cold water while pressing the kibbeh dough to prevent sticking and get an even layer.

Kibbeh is one of the most storied dishes of Lebanon and the Levant, prepared in many forms — raw kibbeh, fried kibbeh discs, and kibbeh bil sanieh, which is baked in a tray and cut like a pie, making it the easiest version for feeding a crowd.

The outer shell is made from fine bulgur, ground meat, and onion blended into a smooth, cohesive dough, while the tray is filled with a rich stuffing of minced meat and pine nuts browned in ghee.