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Morocco, Middle East and Africa

Kefta Tagine

A Moroccan home favourite: little cumin and paprika beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato sauce, with eggs cracked in and bread for scooping.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time40 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsThe yolks are left runny. For young children, pregnant women, older people or anyone with a weakened immune system, cook 3–4 minutes longer until the yolks are firm.

Method

  1. Grate the meatball onion and squeeze it firmly in your hand, discarding the juice; too much liquid makes the meatballs fall apart. In a bowl, combine the beef, grated onion, 70% of the chopped parsley and coriander, and half the spices, salt and pepper. Knead for 1–2 minutes until sticky.

    Add in this stepMinced beef (15–20% fat) 250 gOnion (for the meatballs) 50 gFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2⅛ tbspCoriander leaves, chopped 2⅛ tbspGround cumin ½ tspSweet paprika ¾ tspSalt ½ tspBlack pepper ½ pinchCayenne pepper ½ pinch

  2. With wet hands, roll the meat into 2.5 cm balls, the size of a large marble, and set them on a plate. Even sizes cook evenly. Chill them while you make the sauce so they hold their shape better.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a 24 cm tagine or a wide pan with a lid over medium heat and cook the finely chopped onion and garlic for , until soft and translucent. If you use a clay tagine, put a heat diffuser underneath and never go above medium heat; a sudden blast of heat can crack it.

    Add in this stepOlive oil 1½ tbspOnion (for the sauce) 80 gGarlic cloves 2

    medium heat

  4. Halve the tomatoes, grate them cut side against a box grater and discard the skins. Add the grated tomato, tomato paste, the rest of the spices, salt and pepper, and the water, and simmer over medium heat for until slightly thickened.

    Add in this stepRipe tomatoes 350 gTomato paste 1 tbspGround cumin ½ tspSweet paprika ¾ tspSalt ½ tspBlack pepper ½ pinchCayenne pepper ½ pinchWater 80 ml

    medium heat

  5. Lay the meatballs in the sauce in a single layer, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for , rolling them once halfway so they are coated. When the sauce is thick like jam and a meatball cut in half shows no pink, they are done. If it reduces too much, add 2–3 tbsp water.

    medium-low heat

  6. Make small hollows in the sauce with a spoon and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook over low heat for , until the whites are set and the yolks still soft.

    Add in this stepEggs 2

    low heat

  7. Scatter over the rest of the parsley and coriander and bring the pan straight to the table. Eat it the Moroccan way, tearing off pieces of bread to scoop up sauce, meatballs and yolk together.

    Add in this stepFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 0.9 tbspCoriander leaves, chopped 0.9 tbspMoroccan bread (khobz) or a baguette 1

Cook's tip

Mince with a little fat keeps the meatballs juicy. When fresh tomatoes are tasteless, use the same weight of crushed canned whole tomatoes. For more heat, add extra cayenne or 1 tsp harissa.

Cooking it at camp

Roll the meatballs at home and carry them in a sealed box in the cooler. At camp, start the sauce in a cast-iron pan or Dutch oven on a burner or over charcoal; charcoal is fierce, so hang the pan high and keep it at a gentle simmer.