This is good hot or cold. Serve with yogurt and salads.

　　

Ingredients

serves 10

　　

For the Shell

1 1/4 cups fine-ground bulgur

　　1 large onion, quartered

　　1 pound lean lamb

　　1 1/2 teaspoons salt

　　1/4 teaspoon pepper

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon

　　2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　

For the Hashwa (Filling)

1 large onion, chopped

　　3 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　1 1/2 pounds ground lamb, beef, or veal, preferably a little fatty, cut into pieces

　　Salt and pepper

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon allspice

　　3/4 cup pine nuts

　　

Step 1

For the shell, rinse the bulgur in a sieve in cold running water under the tap and drain. Puree the onion in a food processor. Add the meat and salt and pepper and blend to a paste. Remove the paste from the processor and mix with the bulgur and cinnamon, then process, in batches, to a soft well-blended paste, adding iced water gradually by the tablespoon (start with 2–3) to achieve a smooth elastic consistency.

　　

Step 2

For the filling, fry the onion in the oil till soft. Add the ground meat, salt, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, and pine nuts and fry for 10 minutes, turning and crushing the meat with a fork, until it changes color.

　　

Step 3

To assemble the pie, grease a large round or rectangular (10-by-14-inch) shallow baking pan with oil. Press half the shell paste evenly on the bottom of the tin, about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the filling on top and cover with the rest of the paste. This last layer of shell needs to be built up gradually. Wet your hands, take large lumps of the paste, flatten them between your palms, and lay them on top of the filling until it is entirely covered. Patch up any holes and press down firmly with your hands. An alternative way of doing the top crust is to place the ball of meat-and-bulgur mixture between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper and to flatten it out with a rolling pin. Take the top sheet off and turn out quickly over the pie.

　　

Step 4

With a pointed knife, cut crisscrossing straight or diagonal parallel lines right through to the bottom, making square or diamond shapes, and also run the knife round the edges. Brush or sprinkle the top with 2–3 tablespoons oil and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 40 minutes, until golden brown.

　　

Variations

Step 5

In the filling, instead of pine nuts have 3/4 cup mixed coarsely chopped walnuts and pistachios.

　　

Step 6

Add 2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup (concentrate or molasses) and 1 tablespoon sumac to the filling.

　　

Step 7

Flavor the shell with 2 teaspoons cumin and 1/4 teaspoon hot cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon.

　　

Step 8

Add 4 tablespoons tomato paste to the shell mixture. It is used both for the taste and for the “meaty” red color it lends.

　　

Step 9

Add 4 tablespoons each of soaked currants and chopped walnuts to the filling and omit the pine nuts.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf