Name: Spiced lamb meatballs, roast apricots & fregula
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 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 -

Ingredients for - Spiced lamb meatballs, roast apricots & fregula

1. 10 small apricots, halved and stoned

2. 4 tbsp olive oil

3. 1 onion, finely sliced

4. 1 garlic clove, sliced

5. 1 heaped tbsp ras el hanout

6. 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

7. 1 tbsp tomato purée

8. 1-2 tbsp rose harissa

9. 350ml lamb or chicken stock

10. 100g fregula or giant couscous

11. 500g lamb mince

12. 60g fresh breadcrumbs

13. ½ tsp chilli flakes

14. ½ tsp ground coriander

15. ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

16. 1 egg yolk

17. ½ bunch of parsley, finely chopped

How to cook deliciously - Spiced lamb meatballs, roast apricots & fregula

1 . Stage

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.

2 . Stage

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.

3 . Stage

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.

4 . Stage

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.