Moroccan Meatballs with Chickpeas

One of my current favourite good value 'fillers' to add to meals are chickpeas, and not the ones you get in a tin. Oh no, these days I buy the dried chickpeas, soak them overnight and then boil them for around 45 minutes. I then keep them in the fridge until I need them or freeze them, and they work out so much cheaper than the canned chickpeas.

They are high in protein, and low in fat so are a great everyday food that can be added to soups, stews and salads and can be used to make falafel and hummus.

In this recipe I added them to the sauce to bulk it out a little instead of serving with pasta. The spices in both the meatballs and the sauce are a great winter warmer.

Moroccan Meatballs with Chickpeas - serves 4/5

Meatballs
1 slice of wholemeal bread
100ml milk
500g minced beef
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin

Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cinnamon
400g can of chopped tomatoes
300g chickpeas
40g dried apricots, chopped

• Tear the bread into small pieces in a bowl & cover with the milk
• Mix the mince together with the onion and spices
• Squeeze the bread and break it up until it looks like weetabix
• Add to the mince and mix well - it's easier to do this with your hands
• Take approximately a tablespoon of mince and form into a ball
• Place on a lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mince - it makes around 24 meatballs
• Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 15 minutes
• Meanwhile make the sauce by heating the oil in a large pan
• Add the garlic & onion and fry over a low heat until softened
• Add the spices and stir for 2 minutes
• Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and apricots and simmer over a medium heat for around 20 minutes
• Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over a low heat for around 10-15 minutes

Serve with flatbread and hummus.

This is my entry into the Co-op Electrical Winter Warmer competition

I was provided with the minced beef as part of a meat Hamper from Country Valley Foods