Spiced lamb meatballs, roast apricots & fregula
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Easy
- Serves 5
Ingredients
- 10 small apricots, halved and stoned
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1 heaped tbsp ras el hanout
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1-2 tbsp rose harissa
- 350ml lamb or chicken stock
- 100g fregula or giant couscous
For the meatballs
- 500g lamb mince
- 60g fresh breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Arrange the apricots on a baking tray cut-side down and roast for 10 mins. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- STEP 2
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, shallow flameproof casserole over a low-medium heat. Cook the onion with a pinch of salt for 15 mins until golden brown and caramelised. Stir in the garlic and ras el hanout and cook for 1 min more. Tip in the tomatoes, tomato purée and harissa, and cook for another 5 mins. Stir in the stock and remove from the heat.
- STEP 3
For the meatballs, combine the lamb mince, breadcrumbs, chilli, coriander, cinnamon, egg yolk and most of the parsley in a large bowl with a pinch of salt, squishing the mixture together using your hands for around 5 mins. Form into 10 meatballs, weighing for accuracy if you like. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs for 5 mins until evenly golden.
- STEP 4
Stir the fregula and some seasoning into the casserole, then nestle in the meatballs and roasted apricots. Bring to a simmer, then bake in the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 mins or until the meatballs are cooked through. Scatter with the reserved parsley before serving.
