Turkish Stuffed Onions (Soğan Dolması)

Prepare the onions by cutting off the ends and making a slit halfway through to the center.

Place the onions in a large pot of boiling water and cook until the layers are soft enough to separate, about 10-15 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, carefully separate the onion layers to create 'cups' for stuffing. Finely chop the small, inner layers and set them aside for the filling.

In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, chopped inner onion layers, minced garlic, parsley, dried mint, Aleppo pepper, allspice, salt, and pepper.

Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, the rinsed rice, and 2 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses to the bowl.

Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly with your hands until well combined.

Take an onion layer and fill it with about a tablespoon of the meat and rice mixture, then gently roll it to enclose the filling.

Arrange the stuffed onions tightly next to each other in a single layer in a baking dish.

To make the sauce, whisk together the hot water, olive oil, the remaining 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, the remaining 1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses, and salt.

Pour the sauce evenly over the stuffed onions in the baking dish.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the onions are tender and the filling is fully cooked.

Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley. Enjoy with a side of yogurt if desired.