Sini Kyufta

Pour warm water over the fine bulgur, cover and let stand for 15 minutes so the grain absorbs the liquid; drain off any excess water.

Combine the softened bulgur with 900 g of ground beef for the shell, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp Aleppo pepper, 1 tsp ground coriander, 0.5 tsp ground allspice and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Knead by hand for 10–15 minutes until you get a smooth, pliable mass; moisten your hands with water as needed.

For the filling, sauté 450 g of ground beef in a dry skillet over medium heat, breaking up any lumps, until the meat is no longer pink. Transfer it to a bowl and drain off the rendered fat.

In the same skillet, melt 30 g of butter, add the olive oil and finely chopped onion. Cook until the onion is soft, then return the meat to the pan, add the remaining salt, Aleppo pepper, ground coriander, allspice and black pepper, along with the chopped parsley. Heat through for 2 minutes, remove from the heat, stir in the pine nuts and let the filling cool.

Divide the shell mixture in half. Grease a baking dish with the remaining olive oil, press one half of the meat-bulgur mixture into an even layer about 1.5 cm thick, then spread the cooled filling on top. Flatten the second half on parchment paper or with damp hands, transfer it over the filling, seal the edges together and smooth the surface with water-moistened fingers.

Using a damp knife, score the top into diamond- or square-shaped portions. Scatter the remaining butter over the top in small pieces and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 35–40 minutes, until the surface is golden. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes, then serve hot, cutting along the scored lines.