Blehat Lahma bi Beid

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Soak the bread in water and squeeze dry. Put it in the food processor with the meat, egg whites, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and process to a soft paste. Then mix in the onion and the parsley, if using.

   Step 2

   Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal parts and shape each portion round a hard-boiled egg, making 4 oval rolls. Pat and press the meat firmly round the eggs so that the rolls do not come apart during cooking.

   Step 3

   Flour the rolls and fry briefly in hot shallow oil, turning them, until lightly browned all over.

   Step 4

   In a large pan, make a sauce by mixing the tomato paste with about 1 1/4 cups water. Add the bay leaves, celery, salt, and pepper. Bring it to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Then put in the meat rolls and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until they are well done and the sauce has reduced.

   Step 5

   Lift the rolls out very carefully. Serve them sliced, hot or cold, with the sauce poured over.

2. Variation

   Step 6

   A Persian version is made by adding about 1/3 cup yellow split peas, boiled until soft and drained, to the meat mixture, and embedding a few soaked pitted prunes next to the hard-boiled eggs.