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Potato and fennel fritters ©Taste&Flavors

This type of omelet with fennel is prepared and served in the beautiful village of Zawtar, Nabatieh (South of Lebanon). The small patties combining eggs, fennel and potatoes are fried and consumed with tarator (tahini sauce).

Caloric content:

for the patties: 395 calories / serving of 3 patties
for the tarator: 89 calories / tablespoon

Ingredients

The patties

4 medium sized potatoes, shredded and juice squeezed out

1 bunch of wild fennel leaves, washed and chopped

½ cup of flour

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

3 eggs

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of allspice

1 tsp of hot pepper (optional)

Vegetable oil for shallow frying

The tarator (tahina sauce)

1 cup tahini

2 garlic cloves, smashed

Juice of 2 lemons

Water for dilution

Preparation:

In a large bowl, mix the shredded potatoes, flour, eggs, fennel, garlic and condiments
Shape the mixture into palm-sized patties
In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil on medium fire
Fry the patties in the hot oil, for about 2 minutes on each side
Remove with a slotted spoon or a fork and set aside to cool
In another bowl, combine the tarator ingredients and add water until the sauce is consistent and not too watery
Serve the little omelets while still warm and enjoy them with the tahini sauce

This vegetarian version of kebbeh, is popular in the Lebanese mountain villages and the villages of West Bekaa, and is usually prepared during the period of lent. Greens such as spinach may be used in the filling.

Total Servings: 20 pieces

Preparation Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Dough
500 g of pumpkin, cooked and strained
2 cups of bulgur
1 tbsp. of all-purpose flour

Stuffing
1 ½ cup of onion (2 big onions) , chopped in julienne
½ cup of chickpeas, cooked, peeled and drained
½ cup of walnuts, toasted and chopped
¼ cup of sour pomegranate seeds
3 tbsp. of sumac
olive oil
Salt, pepper, all-spice to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

*Hold the ball in one hand and with the index of your other hand make a whole it the ball. Widen the hole by turning the kebbeh and pressing its inside walls gently against your palm*

Preparation method:

Dough

Peel the pumpkin, remove its seeds and cut into big cubes
Cook in boiling water until soft
Set aside to drain for 2 hours, then mash it
Wash the bulgur and soak to soften for 10 minutes
Put the mashed pumpkin in a large bowl
Drain the bulgur and add to the pumpkin
Add the flour and knead the dough until all ingredients mix well

Stuffing

In a pan, sauté the onions, cut in julienne, until soft using olive oil
Add chickpeas, walnut, pomegranate, sumac and the spices and cook for another 5 minutes
Set aside

Shaping the kebbeh:

Take 2 tbsp. of the kebbeh dough and knead them in your hand until they hold together. Make sure your hands are moist so the dough doesn’t stick
Hold the ball in one hand and with the index of your other hand make a whole it the ball. Widen the hole by turning the kebbeh and pressing its inside walls gently against your palm. Make sure the kebbeh is uniformly thin
Fill your kebbeh with 1 tbsp. of the filling and close the ball while keeping its surface smooth
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the kebbeh balls in batches