Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse and strain bulgur using cold water. Place rinsed bulgur in a mixing bowl and soak bulgur in cold water to cover the surface by a finger or two, no more. Let bulgur sit for at least 15-20 minutes.
While the bulgur is soaking, prepare the filling:
In a medium bowl, combine the grated onion, parsley, allspice, and salt with the ground beef until well-incorporated. NOTE: Check the raw meat for seasoning by cooking a tiny piece in a skillet.
Continue the outer shell preparation:
Mix bulgur, semolina, and a little salt (1/2 teaspoon kosher salt) to form the dough. Knead until it comes together. If wet, add alittle more semolina. If dry, add more water. Cover dough until ready to use.
Assembling the Kbeibat:
Fill a bowl with ice water to keep your hands wet while shaping the dumplings. NOTE: It’s easier to work with and shape the dumplings when your hands are wet. It will help keep the dough from sticking to your fingers.
Roll a 1-inch-wide ball of dough between your hands. Open a hole using your pointer in one hand, while rotating and holding the shape of the ball with your other hand. Once the hole is wide and the dough casing is thin, stuff it with a spoonful of meat mixture and seal by pressing the edge of the hole together. Alternatively, you can follow the easier disk method outlined in the diagram on the blog post. http://www.antoniotahhan.com/2010/04/27/middle-eastern-dumplings/
Cooking the Kbeibat:
Arrange the dumplings on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper (or lightly coated with oil) to prevent them from sticking.
Bring a medium sized pot of water to a simmer and season with salt (as you would when you’re making pasta).
Simmer the dumplings for 6-8 minutes in batches. Yields about 36 dumplings.