Kibbeh Sahnieh in a Round Pan Recipe

SERVINGS: 8 SERVINGS, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU CUT THE PIECES | RECIPE BY: MAUREEN ABOOD

To make this classic Lebanese kibbeh sahnieh, use a large pan, 14-16 inches, and layer the kibbeh with a lemony meat and onion filling. Bake and broil until deep golden brown, and you’re golden too!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 recipe kibbeh (which uses 1 pound of kibbeh meat and 1 cup of fine bulgur)
Small bowl of ice water, to moisten your hands and flatten the layers

FOR THE FILLING:

1/4 cup neutral or extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound ground beef from round or chuck
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Several grinds black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

FOR COATING THE PAN AND FINISHING:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. To make the househ filling, in a large frying pan, heat the neutral or olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and about a half teaspoon of the salt and sauté until soft. Add the ground beef and season with cinnamon, another half teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a metal spoon into smaller bits as it cooks. Squeeze the lemon juice over the househ, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in the pine nuts and set aside.

3. Coat a 14-inch round cake pan with olive oil.

4. To make the bottom layer of the kibbeh, use about ¼ cup of kibbeh at a time and flatten to about ¼-inch thickness between the palms of your hands. Press the flat piece into the bottom of the pan. Do this repeatedly, smoothing the flat pieces together with your hands that have been moistened in ice water and sealing all fissures, until the bottom of the pan is filled with a flat layer of kibbeh.

5. Spoon the househ filling evenly over the kibbeh, including some of the meaty, lemony juices.

6. Make the top layer of the kibbeh the same as the bottom layer, forming flat pieces and laying them over the filling close together. Smooth the pieces with your hands moistened in ice water to seal all fissures. Smooth the kibbeh around the perimeter of the pan as well.

7. To cut the kibbeh, make an actual-sized drawing of the design on a sheet of newspaper to practice the design.

8. Bake the kibbeh for about 40 minutes, then brush the top with olive oil. Continue baking about 10 more minutes, or until browned. Turn on the broiler and broil the top of the kibbeh for a couple of minutes, until the top layer has a deeply browned crust to it.

9. Serve the kibbeh warm, cutting along the scored diamonds to serve.