Lamb Meatballs with Labneh and Flatbreads
Try this delicious lamb meatball serving platter with mellow undertones of our delicious date syryp.
For the Labneh:
1 kg full-fat greek yogurt
4 tbsp dill chopped to make 4, plus extra to serve
4 tbsp mint leaves chopped, plus extra to serve
1 garlic clove, crushed
For the meatballs:
800g lamb mince (20% fat)
1 small onion, grated
1 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Date Syrup
50g pine nuts, toasted
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
A pinch of dried chilli flakes
Olive oil for frying
For the dukkah flatbreads:
600g strong white bread flour 600g
75ml olive oil
pinch of sea salt flakes
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
50g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds
50ml clarified butter, ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
1. Combine the labneh ingredients with 1 tsp of fine salt in a bowl, then scrape into a muslin-lined sieve set over a large bowl. Cover and chill for 24 hours until the liquid has been strained out.
2. Using clean hands, mix together all the meatball ingredients. Roll the mixture using your palms into 24 meatballs, then transfer to a tray lined with baking paper. Cover and chill for at least 30 mins.
3. For the flatbreads, mix together the flour, oil, 1 tsp of salt and 350-400ml of warm water in a bowl until you have a rough dough. Tip onto a worksurface and knead for 10-15 mins until smooth. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes to relax the dough.
4. Cut the dough into 16 pieces and roll out on your worksurface into rough ovals. Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the flatbreads for 2-3 mins on each side until bubbles have appeared and turned golden brown, and the flatbreads look dry and toasted. Keep warm until ready to serve.
5. Put the sea salt flakes, coriander and cumin seeds in a mortar and crush with a pestle to open the seeds. Add the hazelnuts and bruise to release the oils. Add the sesame seeds and bash again. Transfer half the mixture to a small bowl, and stir in the clarified butter, ghee or oil.
6. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs for 10-15 mins until cooked through and browned, shaking the pan regularly to turn. Spoon onto a plate and season. Brush the dukkah butter over the warm flatbreads.
7. To serve, thickly spread the labneh over a platter or serving dish, scatter some reserved dukkah and spoon over the meatballs (leave any fat in the pan). Scatter with the remaining dukkah and some extra dill and mint. Drizzle over any left-over dukkah butter. Serve with the flatbreads for scooping up the meatballs and labneh.
