Mike Wolfberg's Recipe for Baked Kibby

This is one of several recipes developed by Mike and his late wife, Julie, for a Concord/Carlisle Massachusetts Newcomers Gourmet Group dinner which took place in the first half of the 1970s.

This is a Syrian dish called Kibby Bil Sineeyah in Arabic. It serves 8 (10-12). The figures in parentheses throughout this recipe are optional 50% higher yield numbers.

• the recipe for Kibby Neeyee (see below)
• 3/4 (1) lbs. ground lamb
• 3/4 (1) cups pine nuts
• 1 TBL. olive oil
• 3/4 (1) tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 (3 1/4) tsp. cinnamon
• 3/8 (1/2) tsp. pepper
• 3 (4) TBL. onions

1. Make the Kibby Neeyee.
   
   
2. Chop the onions (fine).
   
   
3. Heat the oil and saute the pine nuts until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a dish. Add the onions to the remaining oil. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until soft and transparent but not brown - 2 to 3 minutes.
   
   
4. Add the lanb and, mashing it with the back of a spoon to avoid lumps, cook until all traces of pink disappear.
   
   
5. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
   
   
6. Stir in the pine nuts, salt, pepper, and cinnamon and set aside.
   

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
   
   
2. Oil a 12 x 7 (9 x 13) baking dish - or any other dish that will give you a finished product about 1 1/2 inches thick.
   
   
3. Spread half of the Kibby Neeyee in the baking dish. Spread the filling (lamb, pine nut mixture) over that layer and top with a layer of the rest of the Kibby Neeyee.
   
   
4. Score the top in diamonds.
   
   
5. Bake uncovered at 350° for 25 minutes.
   
   
6. At the host home: from room temperature, reheat at 350° for about 30 minutes.
   
   
7. Serve with yogurt.
   

• 1 1/2 (2) lbs. ground lamb
• 2 1/4 (3) cups coarse bulgur (or bulghur) (cracked whaeat)
• 6 (8) cups boiling water
• 3 (4) TBL. ground coriander
• 1 1/2 (2) tsp. salt
• 3/8 (1/2) tsp. pepper

1. Soak the bulgur in the water for 15 minutes. Drain in a colander lined with cheesecloth and squeeze dry with the hands.
   
   
2. Combine the lamb and bulgur in a large bowl. Blend (or knead) with the hands until very smooth - this takes about 5 minutes.
   
   
3. Add the coriander, salt, and pepper. Blend with the hands just until mixed.
   

Kibby Neeyee is the national dish of Syria and is generally eaten raw, like steak tartare. To serve it raw, form it into a flat pancake, top it with oil and serve it with quartered onions or scallions and radishes.