Kefta mkaouara (spicy egg, meatball and tomato tagine)

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Serves 4

Preparation time
1-2 hours

Cooking time
1 to 2 hours








Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil4 very fresh medium-sized free-range eggssalt and freshly ground black peppera small handful fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped, to garnishFor the meatballs450g/1lb minced beef or lamb2 tbsp finely chopped parsley1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp saltfreshly ground black pepper½ tsp hot paprikaFor the sauce1 medium onion, finely chopped900g/2lb ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped, or 2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes1 tsp ground cumin½ teaspoon hot paprika1 tsp freshly ground black pepper2 garlic cloves, crushedsalt to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. 2. For the meatballs, put the minced beef, parsley, cumin, paprika, one teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper into a bowl and mix together well using your hands. Dampen your hands and form the mixture into about 28 2.5cm/1in balls.3. Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a shallow tagine or frying pan and brown the meatballs briefly on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set to one side. 4. For the sauce, add the onion to the tagine or pan with the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook gently for ten minutes until very soft and just beginning to brown. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and leave to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until well concentrated in flavour but not too thick. Season well with salt to taste. 5. Return the meatballs to the sauce and mix together. Transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish if you have prepared the sauce in a frying pan, otherwise leave the mixture in the tagine. Make four slight dips in the mixture and break an egg into each one. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the eggs are just set. 6. Scatter with the chopped coriander and serve with warm flatbread.