Kibbet Laqteen (Pumpkin Kibbeh Stuffed with Spinach and Chickpeas)

Ingredients

• 1000 g butternut squash
• 200 g fine bulgur wheat
• 3 onion
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 300 g frozen spinach
• 400 g tinned chickpeas
• 2 tsp sumac
• 1 lemon

Method

1. 1

   Peel the butternut squash, cut into chunks and steam or boil for 15 minutes until very soft. Drain in a colander for 10 minutes, pressing out as much water as you can, then mash. Defrost the frozen spinach in a sieve over a bowl at the same time.

2. 2

   Rinse the fine bulgur wheat and drain well; the squash will soften it. Mix the mash with the bulgur, 1 grated onion, the plain flour, cumin, cinnamon and 1½ tsp salt and leave for 15 minutes to firm up.

3. 3

   For the filling, fry the other 2 onions, chopped, in 2 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat for 8 minutes. Squeeze the spinach dry and add it with the drained chickpeas, the sumac, the juice of half the lemon and ½ tsp salt. Cook for 5 minutes until dry.

4. 4

   Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, gas 6). Oil a 20 x 30cm tin and spread in half the squash mixture with wet hands. Cover with the filling, then pat the rest of the squash mixture into patties and lay them on top, smoothing the joins.

5. 5

   Score into diamonds, drizzle with the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil and bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden and the edges crisp.

6. 6

   Rest for 10 minutes before cutting, then serve with the rest of the lemon in wedges.