Potato Kibbe

I was in Lebanon during Lent and one of the dishes that I most loved was a meatless variation of a national dish called Kibbe. Kibbe is usually made with lamb, but during Lent, my aunt made it using potatoes.
Last weekend, when my visiting cousin took me around to visit distant cousins that I did not know I had, living not more than 45 minutes from where I live, we started talking about Kibbe Batata (potato kibbe) and my mouth started to water. In Lebanon, in those days, women would sit in front of a large hollowed out marble slab, put all the
ingredients in the cavity and pound it to a fare-thee-well. I think a good food processor would get the same results.




In the interest of full disclosure, I have never made it but I do have a Lebanese cookbook and I have taken this recipe from there. This recipe is from a cookbook I own called, "Foods of the Lebanon" by Cassie Maroun-Paladin published in England by New Holland Press.

6 medium potatoes
11 oz. bulgar wheat (also called cracked wheat -you can find this anywhere now-usually in ethnic aisle of your food store.)
1 onion thinly sliced
4 ounces chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of allspice (if you do not have allspice, you need to get it. Very important in this dish)
1 tbsp dried mint
1/4 cup flour (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Put the bulgar in a bowl and pour boiling water over it, then let sit for 1/2 hour.
Cook potatoes in their skins in salted water until soft. Peel and mash. Squeeze out water from the bulgar.
Add the bulgar to the mashed potatoes with onion, parsley, spices, mint and salt and pepper. Moisten hands with water and knead mixture well. If mixture is too soft, add flour. Keep kneading until misture is firm. Press mixture into a lightly greased baking tray and cut into diamond shapes. Pour oil over it and bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes until golden.