Moroccan meatballs with chickpeas
Meatballs
- 2 thick slices white bread, crusts removed
- 100ml milk
- 500g lean minced lamb
- 1 small onion, grated
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
Chickpeas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, halved and finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 400g canned tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 400g canned chickpeas, drained
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- tsp salt
Sweet, spicy meatballs wallow in a rich tomato and onion stew studded with chickpeas. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt.
Method
Heat oven to 200C. Soak the bread in milk for five minutes then squeeze out excess milk. Mix the bread with the meat in a bowl. Add the onion, parsley, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and salt and knead it with your hands until well mixed. Roll the meat into golf ball-sized balls, place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
To make the sauce, heat oil in a frypan and cook onion for five minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, water and bring to the boil. Add chickpeas, parsley, coriander, cumin, paprika, ginger and salt, stirring, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Makes 16 to 18 meatballs, Serves 4
