Dina’s Sogan-Dolma (stuffed onions), a family tradition from Bosnia

Bosnian-born, current New-Yorker Dina has welcomed over 80 guests to her home in West Harlem for her Mediterranean-inspired Eatwith event! She loves using local, organic produce to recreate traditional Bosnian recipes.

Check out her family’s recipe for stuffed onions, a traditional Bosnian dish that she loves preparing for her Eatwith guests.

Ingredients

5–6 white onions, peeled and cut in half
400 grams minced lamb
150 grams cooked rice (brown, white or wild), barley or farro
200 ml water, approximately
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon oil
1 or 2 tablespoons sweet paprika

Preparation

Place the whole, peeled onions in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cook until soft but not falling apart, about 15 minutes, and save the cooking water for later. When cooked, remove the onions from the water, drain them and leave them to cool completely so that you can separate them into rings while being careful not to break them! Set aside the larger rings and finely chop the smaller, inside rings.

Add the oil or ghee to a frying pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, the minced lamb, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir continuously for a few minutes until the meat starts to brown. It doesn’t need to be completely cooked through as it will continue cooking in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 360F/180C.

Combine the cooked rice with the browned meat; this is the stuffing for the onions. Use a spoon to stuff each onion ring with this mixture. Arrange the onions in the pan that you’re going to bake them in, ideally a cast iron one. Take the onion cooking water that you had previously set aside, and pour it over the onions until they’re half-way covered in water. Cover the pan with a lid or with foil. Bake for about 30 minutes, then remove the lid and broil until the onions are nicely colored on the edges.

Serve with sour cream on top, thick country bread (or pita bread), and enjoy!

Check out Dina’s upcoming events on Eatwith, or book her for your next private event or dinner party!

For more recipes from our hosts, read about our other Eatwith recipes on our blog.