SINI KUFTEH

SINI KUFTEH

Mom used to make this a lot and we loved it!

Crust:

1 lb. lean ground beef

½ cup finely chopped onions

1 cup fine bulgur

1 egg  

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Have a bowl of cold water to keep mixture from sticking to hands. 

Mix all ingredients together kneading constantly while keeping hands moistened with water.

When the mixture becomes soft and pliable stop kneading and set aside.

Filling:

1 cup chopped onions

Pinch of Cayenne pepper

Salt & pepper to taste

½ stick butter

½ cup chopped walnut or pine nuts (optional)

Saute all the ingredients in the butter in a deep frying pan or pot until well done.

Place in refrigerator and chill for 3 hours or so until the fat has hardened.

Directions:

Line a 9 x 13” pan with half the crust mixture by flattening pieces of the crust in your hands and pressing them together in the pan making sure the joints are sealed (use dabs of water spread over the areas to seal joints).

Spread the chilled filling over the bottom crust.

Top with the remaining crust mixture, again using your hands to flatten pieces of the crust, place over filling and join crust together as you did for the bottom layer.

You can cut it into portions at this point if you prefer or wait until it’s baked and then cut it.

Pour ½ cup of beef broth over the crust.

Put dabs of butter over the crust.

Bake covered in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, uncover and bake another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 20 - 25 minutes, cut into diamond shape pieces or squares and serve with dollops of plain yogurt on top.

Serves 8