Ingredients

Four pigeons (cleaned and prepared); 2 cups freekeh; 1 large onion (finely chopped); 3 tbsp of olive oil; 1 tsp of allspice; 1 tsp of cinnamon; salt and pepper to taste; 4 cups chicken broth (or water); 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (or almonds).

Preparation and Cooking

• Rinse the freekeh* under cold water until water runs clear.
• In a pan, sauté the onion with olive oil until golden, and the freekeh, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Then add 2 cups of chicken broth or water to the freekeh and let it simmer until the freekeh is cooked (about 20 minutes). Once the freekeh is cooked, add the toasted pine nuts or almonds, which becomes the final stuffing.
• Stuff the pigeons with the freekeh mixture with leaving reasonable space to allow the expension of the freekeh during cooking. Then place the stuffed pigeons in a roasting pan and add the remaining chicken broth or water.
• Place the pan in the wood-fired oven when the temperature is around 170-190^oC and cook the pigeons for about 1-1.5 hour, until golden brown on the outside. Avoid the flame radiated heat during cooking.
• Allow the pigeons to rest for a few minutes before serving. The dish usually is usually served on a bed of fragrant rice or freekeh, with roasted or grilled vegetables or fresh salad, with a garlicky sauce like toum or a yogurt-based sauce, and with fresh flatbread.

Hints and Comments

• * Freekeh (or farik) is made from green durum wheat that has been roasted and rubbed to create its unique flavour. Pigeon is a popular meat in Egypt.