Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Roasted Apricots and Fregula

Name: Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Roasted Apricots and Fregula
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: 500 g lamb mince; 100 g fregula or giant couscous; 10 small apricots halved and stoned; 800 g cans chopped tomatoes; 1 onion; 1 clove garlic cloves, sliced; 350 ml lamb or chicken stock; 4 tbsp olive oil; 60 g fresh breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp rose harissa; 1 tbsp heaped ras el hanout; 1 tbsp tomato puree; 1 egg yolk; 0.5 tsp chilli flakes; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 bunch parsley

A vibrant Middle Eastern-inspired traybake featuring juicy lamb meatballs, sweet roasted apricots, and nutty fregula pasta. This aromatic one-pot meal is perfectly balanced with the heat of rose harissa and the warmth of ras el hanout.

Servings5 Portions

Prep Time15 Mins

Cook Time50 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

lamb mince
500 g
fregula or giant couscous
100 g
small apricots halved and stoned
10
cans chopped tomatoes
800 g
onion
1
garlic cloves, sliced
1 clove
lamb or chicken stock
350 ml
olive oil
4 tbsp
fresh breadcrumbs
60 g
rose harissa
2 tbsp
heaped ras el hanout
1 tbsp
tomato puree
1 tbsp
egg yolk
1
chilli flakes
0.5 tsp
ground coriander
0.5 tsp
ground cinnamon
0.3 tsp
parsley
0.5 bunch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4). Arrange the halved apricots cut-side down on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes until they begin to soften. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, shallow flameproof casserole dish over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt, cooking for about 15 minutes until golden brown and caramelized. Stir in the sliced garlic and ras el hanout, cooking for another minute until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, and rose harissa, cooking for 5 minutes. Pour in the stock, stir well, and remove from the heat.

Prepare the meatballs by combining the lamb mince, breadcrumbs, chilli flakes, ground coriander, cinnamon, egg yolk, and most of the chopped parsley in a large bowl. Mix the ingredients thoroughly with your hands for about 5 minutes to ensure a tender texture. Shape the mixture into 10 even meatballs. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the meatballs for 5 minutes, turning frequently until golden brown on all sides.

Stir the fregula into the tomato sauce in the casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Nestle the browned meatballs and roasted apricots into the sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer on the stovetop, then transfer the dish to the oven. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked and the fregula is tender. Scatter the remaining parsley over the top before serving.