By David Tanis
“In France, meatballs are called boulettes, and by far the favorite versions are the spice-scented North African type. Since I like things a bit spicier, my boulettes are more like Tunisia ones, in which hot pepper is more assertive.”

Note: While making this recipe, I used lamb instead of beef and made some substitutions.

The saffron tomato sauce for North African Meatballs:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 and ½ cups finely diced onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste (This sauce was too thin, so I substituted 1 can of Muti crushed tomatoes.)

1 inch piece cinnamon stick

Large pinch saffron, crumbled

• Salt and pepper
• vegetable broth or water (One empty Muti can of water)

For the meatballs:

1 and ½ cups cubed day-old firm white bread (I substituted 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs)

1 cup milk

1 pound ground beef or lamb

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons finely chopped scallion

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Olive oil or vegetable oil

For the couscous: (optional)

1 cup giant couscous, m’hamsa, or medium couscous

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water to soften, then drained

Salt

¼teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Step 1: Make the sauce: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onion and cook without browning until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon and saffron, and stir well to incorporate. Season generously with salt and pepper, and allow to sizzle for 1 minute more. Add crushed tomatoes, water or broth and simmer gently for 5 minutes. May be made several hours in advance, up to a day.

Step 2: Make the meatballs: Put bread cubes(or crumbs) and milk in a small bowl. Leave bread to soak until softened, about 5 minutes, then squeeze dry.

Step 3: In a mixing bowl, put squeezed-out bread, ground meat and egg. Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, cloves, coriander and cumin. Mix well with hands to distribute seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons each of parsley, cilantro and scallion, and knead for a minute. May be prepared several hours in advance, up to a day.

Step 4: With hands, roll mixture into small round balls about the size of a quarter. Dust balls lightly with flour. Heat a few tablespoons of oil, or a quarter-inch depth, over medium-high heat and fry meatballs until barely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain and blot on paper towel. Simmer meatballs in saffron-tomato sauce, covered, over medium heat for about 20-40 minutes, until tender. (May need to simmer longer.)

Step 5: Meanwhile, make the couscous, if desired: Cook according to package directions, fluff gently and stir in butter and raisins. Season with salt and cinnamon, and toss well.

Step 6: Garnish meatballs with remaining parsley, cilantro and scallion. Serve with couscous and roasted tomatoes if desired.