Middle-Eastern spiced meatballs
Serves: 10
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
/ Recipe by Brian Glover / Photograph by Dan Jones
Middle-Eastern spiced meatballs
Serves: 10
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
397Kcal
Fat
17gr
Saturates
7gr
Carbs
28gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
5gr
Protein
4gr
Salt
0.6gr
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
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.
