Basal mahchi (Stuffed onions)

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Throughout North Africa and the Middle East, the onion is a favourite vegetable and there are many versions of this recipe. This particular one comes from the city of Benghazi in Libya.

Ingredients

• 6 large onions, peeled and left whole with roots intact
• 175 g minced lamb
• 25 g chopped almonds
• 25 g raisins
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 110 g breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• 25 g butter
• 300 ml yoghurt
• 1 egg

Mise en place

• Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F - gas 4)

Method

1. Bring the onions to the boil in a large saucepan, reduce the heat and them simmer for 10-12 minutes.
2. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
3. Carefully slice ½ cm from each root end and using an apple corer, hollow out the centre until the outer layers about 1 cm thick.
4. Chop the removed onion layers and place in a large bowl with the lamb, almonds, raisins, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Mix well.
5. Fill the onions with the mixture and place them a a greased overproof dish.
6. Dot the onions with the butter and bake for 1 hour at 180° C (350° F - gas 4).
7. Mix the egg with the yoghurt thoroughly and pour over the onions.
8. Continue baking for a further 10 minutes, then garnish with the remaining parsley.

Serving suggestions

Serve with bread, salad or pickles.