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Beef Boulette with Eggs Nestled in Tomato Sauce

Moroccan cuisine is among the ones I love the most, it is colorful, particular, and delicious. Here is a “tajine kefta", a traditional recipe that includes meatballs, tomato sauce with some spices, and lastly the eggs are nestled in with the cooked meatballs and tomato sauce. Definitely a hearty, sophisticated, yet simple dish. Chef Alba
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Course Appetizer, Main Dish, Snack
Cuisine Maghreb, Mediterranean, Moroccan
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Sauce

  • 2-3 tbps Secolari Arbosana Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 large sweet onion minced
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 small can tomato paste reserve empty can
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1 to taste Secolari Roasted Garlic Sea Salt
  • 1 to taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 3 cans water use empty tomato paste can

Meatballs

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/2 sweet onion minced
  • 1 to taste Secolari Wild Porcini Sea Salt
  • 1 to taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Secolari Arbosana Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 1-2 tbsp minced Italian parsley or cilantro

Instructions
 

  • For the Sauce: In a large skillet, add the oil on medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until the onion is soft 8-10 min. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
  • Add the tomato paste in the center of the pan. Mix it with the oil, garlic and onions. Spread the tomato paste mixture out on the pan. Sauté undisturbed for 3 minutes, Leaving the tomato paste to sauté undisturbed helps caramelize it which increases the flavors of the sauce. Stir and sauté for another 3 min undisturbed. Add the salt, pepper, sugar, paprika, and cumin and stir well scraping the bottom.
  • Add 3 cans (empty tomato paste can) of warm water and mix well. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stir and quickly lower the heat to simmer. Simmer the sauce for 5 min.
  • For the Meatballs: In a bowl, add all meatball ingredients and mix well. Take about a tablespoon of meatball mixture and shape into a ball. Continue making meatballs until you have used up all ingredients. When the meatballs are made, add them to the sauce, cover and cook about 15 min.
  • Taste the sauce for seasoning, adjust if needed. About 5 min before the meatballs are done, nestle in 4 whole fresh eggs in the skillet. Look for little nooks to place them in. Cover, and cook over low heat. Once everything in the skillet is cooked, transfer to serving plates some meatballs, an egg and sauce. Serve with crusty bread.