Kefta Mkaouara - Rick Stein Recipe

Spicy Meatball Tagine

Meatball casserole in a spicy tomato sauce with eggs. This Moroccan Kefta Mkaouara dish is delicious and seriously worth making, I used a recipe based on one by Rick Stein.

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Make this once and I guarantee you'll want to make it again, it's a great dish to serve with friends.

What is Kefta Mkaouara?

Kefta Mkaouara (Mkawra) is a Moroccan dish and is traditionally made in a tagine.

Small beef or lamb meatballs are simmered in a spiced tomato sauce, and then eggs are added in the last few minutes of cooking. Even though I've made this time and time again, we still love it.

Of course, you do not have to have a Tagine to make this.

I didn't use mine as it's a bit on the big side, so I just used a shallow flame and ovenproof lidded casserole dish.

Although Rick Stein's book Mediterranean Escapes has been out for a good while now, I think it's one of the best books I own.

Recipe Top Tip!

Always use good quality tinned tomatoes, I always use the brand Cirio, they seriously are the best.

Use cheap tomatoes and your sauce will be watery.

When you open a tin of Cirio you'll notice the juice is a gorgeous colour and very thick in consistency.

If you're in the UK Cirio tomatoes are available in most supermarkets. Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Waitrose, although for some reason I've never seen them in ASDA.Tesco and Waitrose often have them at half price.

Kefta

Rick Stein uses beef but they can be made from ground lamb or a combination of lamb and beef.

If you're looking at this recipe and are thinking, this recipe is all very well and dandy, but I just don't have the time to make meatballs!

I've got it covered, check out my speedy Cheats Kefta Mkaouara recipe. It cuts the time in half!

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 500g minced beef

• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley - finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon hot paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

• 3 tablespoons vegetable divided (or mild olive oil)

• 1 medium onion - finely chopped

• 2 x 400g cans of good quality chopped tomatoes including the juice

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons runny honey

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon hot paprika

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• *salt to taste, but go careful, I really don't think you'll need to add any

Other ingredients

• 4 very fresh eggs - free range of course

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish: a small handful of fresh coriander leaves - coarsely chopped

Can this be frozen?

Yes, you can, but you must be sure it has completely defrosted before adding the eggs.

Once defrosted, transfer to a suitable shallow baking dish and heat the dish through until piping hot.

Then add the eggs as shown in the recipe, and return to the oven so they can cook.

What to serve with it

Fresh crusty bread for dipping and mopping or pitta bread, which is probably more traditional.

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

Meatball casserole, Kefta Mkaouara, Spicy Meatballs Tagine, Rick Stein Recipe

main, tagine

Moroccan

Yield: 4

Author: Jan Bennett

Meatball Casserole - Kefta Mkaouara

I did not use my tagine to make this as it's too big. Instead, I used a shallow flame (and ovenproof) casserole dish with a lid.

Prep time: 40 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 500g minced beef
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce

• 3 tablespoons vegetable divided (or mild olive oil)
• 1 medium onion - finely chopped
• 2 x 400g cans of good quality chopped tomatoes including the juice
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons runny honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• *salt to taste, but go careful, I really don't think you'll need to add any

Other ingredients

• 4 very fresh eggs - free range of course
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• To garnish: a small handful of fresh coriander leaves - coarsely chopped

Instructions

Make the Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6
2. Put the minced beef, parsley, cumin, paprika, one teaspoon salt (not more) and some freshly ground black pepper into a bowl and mix together well using your hands.
3. Dampen your hands and form the mixture into about 28 2.5cm/1in balls.
4. Heat two tablespoons of the oil to your tagine (if it's flameproof) or use a large frying pan to brown the meatballs briefly on all sides.
5. Once done, remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set aside.

Make the Sauce

1. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook gently for ten minutes until very soft and just beginning to colour.
2. Add the garlic and cook for a minute - don't let it burn or it will taste bitter.
3. Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Transfer to a flameproof casserole and put the lid on. Leave to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until well concentrated in flavour but not too thick.
4. Taste the sauce and season with salt if you think it needs it - now's the time to add more paprika cumin to taste.

To Finish

1. Once you're happy with the taste, put the meatballs into the sauce and, over low heat and stir together to heat through without the lid.
2. 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.
3. Scatter with the chopped coriander and serve with warm flatbread.

https://www.aglugofoil.com/2012/06/kefta-mkaouara-spicy-egg-meatball-and.html

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