I love this recipe, colourful and bursting with flavour, and with lots of different options – serve as a nibble with drinks, or transfer to a gratin dish and smother with crumbs and cheese and bake till golden, or add lentils to make it stretch further for family meals.
Ingredients
—Kefta (meatballs) 1kg (2 lb 2oz) lamb mince (ground lamb) 1 small onion, peeled and grated 1 tsp salt 3 Tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro) 3 Tbsp chopped parsley 2 tsp dried mint 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp harissa powder 1 tsp ras el hanout 3-4 Tbsp water 2 Tbsp pine nuts Olive oil and flaky sea salt for pine nuts Chopped coriander (cilantro), chopped parsley, ground cumin to finish Lemon wedges for serving Sauce 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 medium onions, peeled and grated 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed ½ tsp paprika ½ tp turmeric ¼ tsp crushed dried chillies, or chilli flakes 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 x 400g (14 oz) cans chopped tomatoes 1 Tbsp each chopped parsley and coriander (cilantro) ½ cup water
Method
—1 Put mince, onion, salt, most of the coriander and parsley (reserve some for sprinkling over), dried mint, cumin, harissa powder and ras el hanout in a large bowl. Mix everything together until smooth, adding enough water to make the mixture light. Cover and set mixture aside for 1 hour (if the kitchen is warm, keep mince refrigerated).
2 To make the sauce, put olive oil, onions and garlic in a large and deep frying pan(skillet) or gratin pan (large enough to hold sauce and meatballs) and fry gently until tender and lightly coloured; stir often. Add paprika, turmeric, chillies or chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add tomatoes, herbs and water. Bring up to a bubble and cook gently for 15 minutes.
3 Shape the mince mixture into small balls with wet hands, putting them on a plate as they are done. When all the balls are rolled, drop them into the hot sauce. Cover pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, until everything is hot and steamy, then remove lid and cook gently for 25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Stir gently with a large spoon from time to time.
4 Fry pine nuts in a small, oiled frying pan (skillet) over a gentle heat until lightly colour. Transfer to a plate and season with sea salt.
5 When meatballs are ready, scoop into a bowl, increase heat under pan and reduce sauce until thick. Return meatballs to pan, adding in any juices on the plate. Sprinkle with pine nuts, coriander, parsley and ground cumin and garnish with lemon wedges.
Recipe Notes
This mixture can also be cooked on skewers. Shape into ovals and put two to a skewer, squeezing the mixture slightly to make it adhere to the skewer, and pinch it in a little at the ends. Brush with olive oil then cook over glowing coals or on a barbecue grill.
The sauce can be prepared ahead; reheat before adding meatballs.
If you don’t have a lid for your pan, improvise with a baking tray (sheet).
Another way to serve this dish is with eggs. Add eggs to the finished pan of meatballs (divide into single-serve frying pans (skillets) or gratin dishes first, if preferred). Allow one egg per person, cover pan or dishes with a lid/s and continue cooking until the eggs whites are just set. Sprinkle with coriander, pine nuts, parsley and ground cumin. Serve immediately.
Another idea is to prepare the meatballs and sauce ahead and too cook them in a gratin dish/es. Reheat meatballs then transfer to a gratin dish or dishes and smother the top with panko crumbs and grated cheese. Dot with butter and brown under a hot grill. To make the meatballs stretch further, mix in a can of lentils or 1½ cups cooked lentils.
Serve meatballs with couscous, freekeh, burghul, lentils, canned chickpeas or beans, or potato mash.
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- Drop meatballs into simmering sauce.
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- No lid for the pan? Use a baking sheet (tray).
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- Shake the pan gently to ensure all meatballs are covered with sauce.
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- Stir gently with a large spoon.
Moroccan Meatballs
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