Rubbeni

Name: Rubbeni - Alida H.
Ingredients: 500 g ground lamb or beef (I used slightly fattier meat for better flavor and the meatballs stay softer) 500 g small onion (spring onion) 1 teaspoon pepper salt to taste cumin 2 green or red peppers (; 2 glasses of tomato juice (depending on how much sauce you want to make)

Rubbeni is a traditional dish found in the regions of Antakya, Antep, and Hatay, made with meatballs from sheep or beef, roasted onions, and tomato sauce. The onion is cooked whole, with its skin, then peeled and added over the browned meatballs. Finally, everything is baked in the oven, in a sauce with peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato juice. It is a simple dish, but it requires a bit of patience for roasting the onions and forming the meatballs. Quick Info Total time: not specified exactly; the known roasting takes about 45-50 minutes, plus the time for preparing and browning the meatballs Preparation time: not specified in the original recipe Cooking and baking time: about 30 minutes for the onion, until the meatballs are browned, and another 15-20 minutes for the final dish Servings: not specified; the amount is suitable for several servings Difficulty: easy to medium Recipe type: traditional Turkish dish with meatballs and tomato sauce Ingredients 500 g minced sheep or beef 500 g small onions, such as shallots 1 teaspoon pepper Salt, to taste Cumin, to taste 2 green or red peppers, diced 2 tomatoes, finely chopped 1 teaspoon tomato paste 3 tablespoons oil 1-2 cups tomato juice, depending on how much sauce you want Tomato juice can be replaced with water, according to the recipe. For the meatballs, it is suitable to use slightly fatty meat. This way, the meatballs remain softer after baking. Preparation method 1. Roast the onion Place the small onion on a tray, without peeling it, and put the tray in a preheated oven at 200°C. Leave the onion for about 30 minutes. The time may vary slightly depending on the size of the onion. After roasting, it should be left to cool enough to be peeled. Then remove the skins and keep the onions whole. 2. Prepare the meatballs Put the minced meat in a bowl and knead it with salt, pepper, and cumin. The recipe does not contain egg, breadcrumbs, or raw onion, so do not add any other ingredients to the mixture. Form small meatballs, approximately the same size, so they cook as evenly as possible. Place them on a greased tray. 3. Brown the meatballs Put the tray in the preheated oven at 200°C and leave the meatballs until they brown. The recipe does not specify a fixed time for this stage, as it depends on the size of the meatballs and the oven. They do not need to be completely dry inside at this point. They will stay in the oven after the onion and sauce are added. 4. Prepare the tomato sauce While the meatballs are cooking, dice the peppers and sauté them in a pot with oil. Add the finely chopped tomatoes, then add the tomato paste and tomato juice. If you prefer a less concentrated sauce or do not have tomato juice, it can be replaced with water. Let the sauce reach the boiling point. There is no need to cook it long before adding it to the meat; it is important that it is hot when added to the tray. 5. Assemble the dish After the meatballs have browned, take the tray out of the oven and place the roasted onion among or on top of them. Pour the hot sauce over the meatballs and onion, ensuring it is distributed as evenly as possible. The amount of tomato juice can be adjusted between one and two cups, depending on how much sauce you want. 6. Finish in the oven Put the tray back in the preheated oven at 200°C. Leave the dish for another 15-20 minutes, during which the sauce will thicken, and the flavors will combine. The roasted onion softens and takes on a sweeter taste, while the tomato sauce penetrates the meatballs. The dish is served after being taken out of the oven. Why I make this recipe often It is a practical dish when I have minced meat and want to use it in a sauce-based dish, not just for simple meatballs. The roasted onion changes the flavor of the whole tray and does not require complicated preparation. Additionally, the meatballs can be prepared while the onion is roasting, and the sauce is made in parallel. I also like that the sauce density can be easily adjusted. With one cup of tomato juice, the dish remains more concentrated, and with two cups, you get more sauce. Tips Use small onions, as close in size as possible. They will roast more evenly and will be easier to place among the meatballs. Slightly fatty meat is more suitable for this recipe than very lean meat. The meatballs remain more tender after baking. Do not peel the onion before roasting. The skin helps the onion cook without drying out, and peeling is done after it has cooled. For a uniform shape, try to make the meatballs of similar sizes. Very large ones will need more time to cook through. The sauce should be poured hot over the meat and onion. This way, the dish goes into the oven already heated and cooks evenly in the final stage. Substitutions Sheep meat can be replaced with minced beef. In both cases, the taste is better if the product is not completely lean. Tomato juice can be replaced with water. The sauce will be less intense, but the dish can still be made this way. Green peppers can be replaced with red peppers, as mentioned in the ingredient list. Variations You can use less tomato juice for a dish with a thicker sauce or up to two cups for a larger quantity of sauce. The amount of cumin can be adjusted to taste. It is one of the important spices for the flavor of the meatballs, along with pepper. If you have onions of different sizes, the largest can be left a little longer in the oven before being peeled. It is important for them to be soft after roasting. Serving ideas Rubbeni can be served directly from the tray in which it was cooked, with the meatballs, roasted onion, and tomato sauce together. The sauce is the part that binds the dish, so it should be distributed on the plate alongside the meat and onion. Frequently asked questions Can I use only beef? Yes. The recipe can be made with minced beef. It is preferable that it is not very lean, as a small amount of fat helps the meatballs remain softer. What do I do if the onion is not completely soft after 30 minutes? Leave the onion in the oven until it softens. The 30-minute time is approximate and can vary depending on the size of the onion and the oven. Let it cool before peeling. Can I prepare the meatballs directly in the sauce, without browning them first? The original recipe requires the meatballs to be browned on the tray first, then covered with sauce and left for 15-20 minutes in the oven. This step must be preserved to respect the preparation method. How much tomato juice should I use? Use between one and two cups, depending on the desired amount of sauce. For a more concentrated sauce, use one cup. For more sauce, use two. Can I use water instead of tomato juice? Yes. The recipe mentions this possibility. With water, the sauce will have a less pronounced tomato flavor, but the other ingredients remain the same. Nutritional values The values are estimated and depend mainly on the type of meat used, its fat content, the amount of oil, and the number of servings. If the dish is divided into 4 servings, one serving may contain approximately: 500-650 kcal 30-35 g protein 35-45 g fat 20-30 g carbohydrates 6-8 g fiber These values include the meat, onion, peppers, tomatoes, oil, and tomato sauce. Fatty sheep and beef meat can increase the calorie count and fat content. Using water instead of tomato juice slightly alters the carbohydrate and calorie intake. Storage and reheating Leftovers are stored in the refrigerator, in a closed container, after the dish has cooled. Because the recipe contains meat and sauce, it is better to consume it within a short time. When reheating, heat the meatballs together with the sauce to prevent them from drying out. They can be reheated on the stovetop or in the oven. If the sauce has thickened too much after storage, it can be thinned with a little water before reheating.

Rubbeni

Tags

Categories