Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen artichoke hearts – khar-shoof
• 200gr minced meat – lah-ma ma-froo-ma
• 3 medium tomatoes – ta-ma-tem
• 2 medium onions – ba-sal
• 1 tbsp tomato paste – sal-set ta-ma-tem
• 1 tbsp lemon juice – a-seer la-moon
• 2 sprigs basil – ree-han
• 1 tbsp cumin – kam-moon
• corn oil – zeit dor-a
• salt and pepper – malh and fel-fel

Directions

• Fill 2/3 of a medium sized pan with water and bring to a boil. Add the artichoke, lemon juice and cumin and boil for five minutes. Remove the artichoke and set aside.
• Heat two tbsp of oil in a small pan on medium heat. Stir in one onion and sauté until soft. Add the minced meat, salt and pepper and stir well for two minutes. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and leave to cook for about 10 minutes.
• Blend the tomatoes in a blender.
• Heat two tbsp of oil in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add the other onion and sauté until soft. Add the blended tomatoes, tomato paste and sprigs of basil, 1 cup of water, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer until the sauce thickens. Remove and discard the basil leaves.
• Heat the oven to 180C.
• Stuff each artichoke heart with the minced meat and place in a small baking dish with the stuffing facing upwards.
• Pour the tomato sauce over the stuffed artichoke hearts and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve hot in the same baking dish.

Note

As a variation chopped nuts can be added to the minced meat