LAMB MEATBALLS WITH GARLIC PINE-NUT BUTTER

1 HR

SERVES 6 (AS PART OF A MEZE)

— 2 onions, finely chopped or coarsely grated

— ¾ bunch of flat-leaf parsley, two thirds finely chopped (stalks and all) — ½ tsp ground cinnamon — 1½ tsp ground cumin — 700g lamb mince

— 75g breadcrumbs —1largeegg

— 3 tbsp olive oil

— ½ tsp red chilli flakes — 1 tsp caster sugar — 500g passata

— 60g butter

— 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

— 40g pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas mark 6.

Place half of the chopped/grated onion, the finely chopped parsley, the ground cinnamon, one teaspoon of ground cumin and the lamb mince, breadcrumbs and egg in a large mixing bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, and mix everything together with your hands, really scrunching it together.

Roll the mixture into golf-ball-sized spheres. Place a large ovenproof frying pan or wide, shallow casserole over a medium heat, drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and fry the meatballs for a couple of minutes, turning, until just browned all over. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer to a plate and leave to one side.

Return the pan to a medium-low heat and add the remaining chopped onion. Fry for five minutes, add the chilli flakes and sugar, then after a minute add the passata. Season well and add about 100ml of water. Bring to a simmer and return the meatballs to the pan, topping it up with 50-100ml of water if needed, so the meatballs are almost but not quite covered. Transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking. Cook for a further 15-20 minutes, until bubbling, with the sauce reduced and the meatballs cooked through.

While the meatballs are in the oven, place a small pan on a low heat and add the butter plus a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic, fry for a minute or two until softened and fragrant, then add the pine nuts and remaining cumin. Fry for about five minutes, swirling the pan, until the nuts are golden. When the meatballs are ready, pour over the garlic pine-nut butter and serve with the remaining parsley torn over the top.