Moroccan meatball tagine with eggs

Moroccan meatball tagine with eggs

Someone has said it’s going to get cold and wintery! Time for a super comfort tagine!
This is the one I cook to cheer me up when it’s cold and miserable.
I would love to know if you enjoy it?

For the meatballs:
750g (1 1/2 lb) minced lamb or beef
1 onion finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt & pepper
a pinch of chilli powder to taste
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
sunflower oil for frying
 
For the tomato sauce:
2 onions chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
750g (1 1/2 lb) tomatoes, peeled and chopped (I used tinned)
1-2 teaspoons of sugar
1 small fresh chilli pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
3 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons of chopped coriander
6 eggs

1. For the meatballs, mix all the ingredients together except the oil, and knead into a soft paste (I whizzed the onions, herbs and spices until chopped finely and then added the meat and gave it another quick whiz: it saved all the chopping finely).

2. Roll into marble-sized balls and fry them briefly in batches in shallow oil, shaking the pan to colour them all over.  Lift out with a slotted spoon.

3. In a large shallow pot, which you will bring to the table, prepare the sauce.  Fry the onions in the oil until soft.  Add the garlic, tomatoes, sugar, salt and chilli pepper and simmer for 20 minutes until reduced.

4. Add the parsley and coriander, put in the meatballs and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Break the eggs over the sauce and cook until the whites are set.  Serve with plenty of warm bread.

Serves 6 (easily reduced)