Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 pound ground lamb ((you can use 1/2 beef, or all beef))
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs, fresh or dried
  • 1/3 cup finely minced onion
  • 1/3 cup finely crumbled feta cheese ((you can also use Parmesan))
  • 1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup finely minced fresh mint
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 clove of garlic (minced)
  • salt to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and well rinsed
  • 1/4 cup tahini sauce
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • pomegranate seeds (or toasted pine nuts)
  • fresh mint leaves

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Put all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl. Make sure your egg is pre-beaten. With as little manipulation as possible, combine all the ingredients thoroughly together. The less you work the mixture the more tender your meatballs will be. I actually like to do this in my stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. It gets everything evenly incorporated better and quicker than I can do with my hands.
  • Form the mixture into balls, I use a small 1 and 3/4 inch scoop to make mine an even size. At this point you can refrigerate the meatballs, covered, on a plate, or cook them right away.
  • To cook the meatballs lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil and arrange the meatballs on the pan. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and measures 160F on an instant read thermometer.
  • While the meatballs are cooking make the sauce and hummus. Mix the yogurt with the tahini, lemon, and garlic until creamy. Add salt to taste. Thin with water to a thick drizzle consistency.
  • To make the hummus, put the chickpeas and garlic in a blender or food processor and pulse until the beans are broken down. Add the tahini, along with the juice of 1/2 the lemon, and run the machine, scraping down the sides as necessary, until the hummus is smooth and silky. Add a little bit of cold water to thin it down if needed. Taste and add more lemon if you like, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Spoon the hummus out onto a shallow bowl or platter, and use the back of the spoon to make a spiral pattern on the top. This helps to hold the olive oil. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and top with the warm meatballs. Garnish with mint and pomegranate seeds. Serve the sauce and fresh pita bread on the side.
  • Makes approximately 20-25 meatballs, serves 6 as an appetizer or light meal.