These lamb meatballs are the first thing I’ve made from Ottolehghi’s new Simple, but although they’re also the second thing I’ve made from the book, there are a lot of other great looking recipes.
Funnily enough, friends of mine sent me a photo of what they had made from the book—lamb meatballs with feta.
Lamb Meatballs with Feta
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 3 ½ ounces feta crumbled into ½” pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put the lamb, feta, thyme, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well to combine, then form into 1 ½” balls.
Put the olive oil into a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the meatballs and fry for 5-6 minutes. Turn them gently and brown on all sides.
Transfer the meatballs to the parchment lined sheet and drizzle with the pomegranate molasses. Bake for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
My verdict:
These are easily made ahead of time. Skip the preheating of the oven, make the meatballs, fry them and finish them off in the oven when you’re ready. I’ve served them with orzo, but rice or couscous would be good too.
The pomegranate molasses is optional, but it really adds a nice tartness to the meatballs and is a handy thing to have in your pantry. If you need an excuse for adding it to your shopping list, this is a great salad dressing.
I always think parsley is optional but had some on hand the second time I made the dish. Didn’t seem to be mission critical if it was in or not.
A pet peeve is dried thyme, it easily ruins a dish, so if you don’t have fresh thyme, go easy on the dried stuff, or substitute some dried mint or oregano.
