Middle-Eastern spiced meatballs
Serves: 10
![Middle-Eastern spiced meatballs](/uploads/media/720x770/09/4029-middle-eastern-meatballs-1140.jpg?v=1-0)
/ Recipe by Brian Glover / Photograph by Dan Jones
Middle-Eastern spiced meatballs
Serves: 10
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
397Kcal
Fat
17gr
Saturates
7gr
Carbs
28gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
5gr
Protein
4gr
Salt
0.6gr
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Sainsbury's magazine
Our team of trained chefs and skilled food writers love cooking up everything from innovative seasonal recipes or clever shortcuts, to step-by-step guides and classic recipes for friends and readers alike.
![Sainsbury's magazine](/uploads/media/100x100/02/11582-April-cover-.jpg?v=1-0)
Sainsbury's magazine
Our team of trained chefs and skilled food writers love cooking up everything from innovative seasonal recipes or clever shortcuts, to step-by-step guides and classic recipes for friends and readers alike.
Ingredients
- 50g currants
- juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 x 100g pack pine nuts
- 1kg lamb mince
- 175g breadcrumbs
- 2 fat cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp of finely chopped dill and coriander
- 2 tbsp of finely chopped coriander
- 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 small egg, lightly beaten
- 150ml olive oil, for frying and roasting
- 2 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized chunks
For the sauce
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes (optional)
- 3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
Step by step
Get ahead
Prepare and cook the meatballs and sauce the day before; keep them separate (they both freeze well, too). Reheat the meatballs on oiled baking trays, covered tightly with foil, at 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5 for 35-40 minutes. Reheat the sauce in a pan until hot, adding a little water if needed
- Soak the currants in the lemon juice for 1 hour, then drain. Lightly toast the pine nuts and let them cool.
- In a bowl, use your hands to mix all the ingredients, up to and including the paprika, with the currants and pine nuts.
- Season with 2 teaspoons of salt and a good grinding of black pepper, then mix in the egg. Take a teaspoon of the mixture and fry or grill it to taste; adjust the seasoning.
- Make about 50 walnut-sized meatballs using floured hands.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan, add a third of the meatballs and fry for about 5 minutes, until browned on all sides and just cooked in the middle. Repeat for two more batches. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Toss the squash in the remaining olive oil and season. Tip on to 2 large baking trays and roast, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes or until browned and tender.
- Meanwhile make the sauce. Fry the onions gently in a large pan with the oil until soft – allow 15-20 minutes. Add the garlic, allspice and chilli (if using) and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, thyme, cinnamon stick and bay leaves to the sauce; cook gently for 30-35 minutes until quite thick. Taste and season. It may need a little brown sugar and lemon juice. When the squash is cooked, stir it into the sauce.
- Add the meatballs, cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon, and serve sprinkled with extra coriander leaves, toasted pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.