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Kibbe Made With Matzo Meal:
Filling:
Make Kibbe:
Use this paste to make the outer shells. Wet your hands with cold water. Take a small lump of kibbe mixture the size of an egg. Holding it in your left hand, make a hole in it with a finger of the right hand and use the left hand to pat the paste around the finger and work it into a long, slim, oval shape, pressing it up the finger, widening it and slipping it around and around. This is rather reminiscent of pottery making. If the paste cracks, dip a finger in cold water and use it to stick the shell together again.
There must be no holes in the shell. British soldiers in the Middle East during the Second World War used to call these kibbeh "Syrian torpedoes", and I think that this describes their shape rather well.
Fill the shell with about a tablespoon of filling. Close the opening by wetting the rim with cold water and sticking the edges together. Pat and smooth into a thin end to achieve a slim, oval shape. If you find this too difficult, make a small round or oval shape. This seems easier to achieve.
Deep-fry the "torpedoes" in oil to a rich, dark brown color. Drain. Serve hot or cold with a selection of salads: ground almond, a tahini salad, or a mixed fresh vegetable salad.
Make Filling:
Fill the shells with the filling. Prick with a skewer to prevent an occasional one from bursting. Deep fry until crisp and qolden.
These kibbeh can be be prepared ahead and fried just before serving, or fried and warmed up again in a covered dish in the oven. Smaller versions are cooked for the last half hour in eggplant, zucchini, and meat stews.
Poster's Notes:
Posted by Judith Sobel
Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A
1-1/2 lbs matzo meal
2-1/2 tablespoons ground rice
1/2 onion, crushed in a garlic press
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper
Warm water
Oil for deep frying
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2-1/2 tablespoons oil
1-1/2 lb. lamb ground
1-1/3 cups pine nuts
Salt and black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
A few tablespoons stock
Mix all the ingredients together. Add a little warm water gradually, working it in by hand, enough to make a firm, stiff paste.
Fry the onion in hot oil until golden and soft. Add the meat and pine nuts, and continue to cook until the meat has changed color. Add a few tablespoons of water to soften the meat, season, and add the cinnamon.
This came from an old magazine. It called for ground rice (rice is not prohibited for Sephardim during Pesach), but I don't think that's essential. Maybe substituting potato starch would do.