Shish Barak — Ground Lamb Dumplings in Warm Yogurt

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup warm water
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• ¾ tsp salt, plus more to season
• 8 oz Ground Lamb
• 1 onion, minced fine
• 1 tsp seven-spice
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 4 cups plain yogurt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp water
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, and 2 tbsp dried mint

Method

1. Knead the flour, water, 1 tbsp oil, and salt into a firm smooth dough and rest it 30 minutes under a bowl.
2. Cook the Ground Lamb with the onion and seven-spice until browned and dry, 8 minutes, then stir in the pine nuts and cool completely. Warm filling steams the dough and tears it.
3. Roll the dough very thin and cut 2-inch rounds. Put a small spoonful of filling in each, fold into a half-moon and pinch shut, then curl the two corners together into a ring.
4. Bake the dumplings at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes until barely colored — a Levantine shortcut that keeps them from disintegrating in the sauce.
5. Whisk the yogurt with the egg and cornstarch slurry in a heavy pot and bring it up slowly over medium-low, stirring constantly in one direction until it thickens and steams. It must never reach a rolling boil or it will split.
6. Slide the dumplings in and simmer very gently 10 minutes. Fry the garlic and dried mint in the remaining oil for 45 seconds and pour it over the top just before serving.