1 April, 2013
Kebbeh
Posted in : Hot Meza (Mezze Appetizers), Meat, Recipes on by : el Meza
Kebbeh – Kebbeh Stuffed Meatballs or Oven Baked Kebbeh
Most non-Middle Easterners understand kibbeh as simply being an American-football-shaped meatball, similar to a falafel, but made of beef or lamb. Well, it’s a little bit more than just that. There are multiple ways of making kibbeh – either in a football-like shape (kibbeh ‘rass) or in a flat oven platter (kibbeh bil sanieh). Kibbeh can also be eaten raw (kibbeh nayye).
Each type is not hard to make, but very difficult to master… and it requires time & patience, which is why this recipe accounts for a large quantity so that you can store leftovers in the freezer and enjoy again at a later time.
First, we must learn how to make the stuffing & outer dough and then we will learn how to create the various shapes.
Quantities:
20-25 kibbeh ‘rass (aka. kibbeh meatballs) or
2 oven pans size 12.5″x8″ for kibbeh bil sanieh (aka. flat kibbeh)
Servings: 10-15
Timing:
Cooking phase: 20min
Resting phase: 2hrs or more
PART A – PREPARATION PHASE
STUFFING
This inner stuffing is what goes inside or between layers of outer dough. Best is to use fresh ground meat (rather than frozen) as it will not stick as much. The goal is to breakdown the meat into very small pieces, which is difficult when the meat is sticky.
Ingredients (1 of 3):
- 1 lbs of ground beef or lamb
- Salt to taste
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp of Lebanese 7 spices
- 1 tbsp of cinnamon
- ¼ cup of pine nuts
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
1. Cut 1 onion into very small pieces
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pot. Add the pieces of onion and let them cook until brown.
3. Add 1 lbs of ground beef or lamb and crush into very small pieces.
3. When meat is cooked, add ¼ cup of pine nuts, 1 tbsp of salt, 1 tbsp of 7 spices and 1 tbsp of cinnamon.
4. When the pine nuts turn red-brown, turn the heat off and let the meat cool down.
5. Once chilled, place the meat in the refrigerator for at least 2hrs.
OUTER DOUGH
Ingredients(2 of 3):
- 1 lbs of ground beef or lamb
- 2 cups of bulghur (No. 0)
- ½ cup of durum
- ½ onion
- 2 tbsp of salt
- 1 tbsp of Lebanese 7 spices
1. Grate the onion into very fine pieces
2. In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients: ground beef or lamb, bulghur, durum, onion, salt and 7 spices. You can also add a little bit of chili pepper
3. In a food processor, place 2 hand full of mixture and let is process for about 10min until the dough becomes a paste and everything sticks together
4. Repeat until all of the mixture has become a paste
5. Let the dough rest for at least 2 hrs
PART B – COOKING PHASE
Before you decide which shape to make and if this is your first time, I would go with the kibbeh bil sanieh, which is easier to make than kibbeh ‘rass. Both shapes require the same additional ingredients.
Ingredients (3 of 3):
- 5 teaspoon of butter
- 2 tbsp of wheat starch
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups of cold water
- 3 ice cubes
MAKING KIBBEH ‘RASS (aka. kibbeh meatball)
1. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tbsp of wheat starch, salt & 2 cups of cold water. Mix well until the wheat starch has melted in the water. Then add 3 ice cubes to keep the water cold
2. Grease a large oven pan with 1 teaspoon of butter. Set the pan in the freezer for 5min
3. Preheat the oven at 450F
4. Divide the outer dough into 20-25 meatballs
5. Take one meatball and make it into a well compact ball. Then wet your hands in the wheat starch & cold water mix and dig a whole in the meatball with 2 fingers while turning in the palm of your hands. Press the walls of the outer dough to enlarge the whole, but make sure not to pierce through the walls. Wet your hands again to even out the outer dough
6. Add stuffing in the whole of the outer dough and close the outer dough to make a football-like shape
7. Congrats! Now you can place your newly made kibbeh on the oven pan and repeat with the next meatball
8. Once you have finished making all of your kibbeh, place a very small amount of butter on each kibbeh and place the pan in the oven for 20min
Serve warm with plain Yoghurt or Yoghurt Cucumber salad.
MAKING KIBBEH BIL SANIEH (aka. flat oven baked kibbeh)
1. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tbsp of wheat starch, salt & 2 cups of cold water. Mix well until the wheat starch has melted in the water. Then add 3 ice cubes to keep the water cold
2. Grease a large oven pan with 1 teaspoon of butter. Set the pan in the freezer for 5min
3. Preheat the oven at 450F
4. Divide the outer dough into 4 even pieces. Spread 1 of the pieces in the pan in an even layer. Wet your hands in the wheat starch & cold water mix and smooth the surface of the outer dough
5. Spread half of the stuffing evenly over the dough in a loose manner. Do not apply pressure on the stuffing or outer dough below it
6. Spread a 2nd layer of outer dough on the stuffing. Again, wet your hands in the wheat starch & cold water mix and smooth the surface of the outer dough
7. Use a knife to cut the kibbeh (all 3 layers) in 4 rectangles, and then cut the upper layer into small diamond shapes (picture below)
8. Add a little bit of butter on top of the kibbeh
9. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 20min
10. With the rest of the stuffing & outer layer, store it in the freezer and make a new kibbeh dish quickly and easily at a later date.
Serve warm with plain Yoghurt or Yoghurt Cucumber Salad