Name: Spiced lamb meatballs, roast apricots & fregula
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 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; 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

Spiced lamb meatballs, roast apricots & fregula

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.