Kibbeh or kibbe is a regarded by some as the national dish of Lebanon, and it's said that there are as many ways to make it as there are to spell it. Typically, kibbeh is made of bulgur (dried cracked wheat), minced onions and finely ground meat. Sometimes it's a torpedo-shaped croquette that is deep fried, other times it's layered and baked into a pie or casserole. During Lent, a variety of vegetables and legumes, like chickpeas, spinach, nuts, or potatoes, are used in place of meat. Vegetable-filled kibbeh is called "kibbeh heeleh", which means tricky kibbeh; tricky because it looks like "the real thing" (with meat) but is meat-free. Thanks, but we'll call this vegan version of Pumpkin Kibbeh "the real thing" because we don't ever need meat to make something taste good.
Serve this warm out of the oven with tangy cashew sour cream or tofu sour cream. Pumpkin Kibbeh is hearty enough for a hungry crowd, and healthy enough so that you can come back for seconds without feeling guilty. While this version of Pumpkin Kibbeh is filled with chickpeas and spinach, let your own tastes and imagination run wild to create your own version of "tricky kibbeh"!
Prepare a baking dish by oiling it lightly. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place bulgur in a medium bowl covered with warm water. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Empty into a fine mesh strainer and squeeze to remove any excess water.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they start to become soft and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and salt. Cook until the spices become fragrant, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the in the greens and cook until just wilted. Stir in chickpeas and 1/2 cup pine nuts, reserving the tablespoon extra for decoration. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir to combine.
To make the bulgur, mix together the soaked bulgur, pumpkin, onion, flour, allspice and salt to form a dough. Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly floured surface. Press half the dough into the prepared baking dish, then add the spinach-chickpea filling, spreading evenly. Top with the remaining dough, pressing evenly to create the top layer.
Score the kibbeh by cutting diagonally across the filled dish one way, then repeating by cutting the other way so that you have a pattern of 2-inch pieces. Decorate each square with a pine nut and then bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Prepare a baking dish by oiling it lightly. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place bulgur in a medium bowl covered with warm water. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Empty into a fine mesh strainer and squeeze to remove any excess water.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they start to become soft and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and salt. Cook until the spices become fragrant, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the in the greens and cook until just wilted. Stir in chickpeas and 1/2 cup pine nuts, reserving the tablespoon extra for decoration. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir to combine.
To make the bulgur, mix together the soaked bulgur, pumpkin, onion, flour, allspice and salt to form a dough. Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly floured surface. Press half the dough into the prepared baking dish, then add the spinach-chickpea filling, spreading evenly. Top with the remaining dough, pressing evenly to create the top layer.
Score the kibbeh by cutting diagonally across the filled dish one way, then repeating by cutting the other way so that you have a pattern of 2-inch pieces. Decorate each square with a pine nut and then bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
