Foodedo recipe

Greek-Style Lamb Meatballs with Tomato Orzo and Courgette

Name: Greek-Style Lamb Meatballs with Tomato Orzo and Courgette
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500 g lamb mince (10-20% fat works well); 1 onion (medium; half finely grated and half finely chopped); 4 garlic cloves (2 crushed and 2 finely chopped); 15 g flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped, divided); 1 lemon (zest finely grated and juice squeezed); 1 egg (medium); 40 g dried breadcrumbs; 2 tsp dried oregano (divided); 2 tbsp olive oil (divided); 1 tsp fine salt (plus extra to taste); to taste black pepper; 2 courgettes (medium, about 350g total; diced into 1.5cm pieces); 2 tbsp tomato puree; 500 g passata; 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube (made up with 600ml boiling water); 300 g orzo; 100 g feta (crumbled)

45 min ·

Herby lamb meatballs are baked until cooked through, then finished in a tomatoey orzo with softened courgette, lemon and feta for a comforting but fresh one-pan dinner.

Ingredients

17 items

500 glamb mince10-20% fat works well
1onionmedium; half finely grated and half finely chopped
4garlic cloves2 crushed and 2 finely chopped
15 gflat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped, divided
1lemonzest finely grated and juice squeezed
1eggmedium
40 gdried breadcrumbs
2 tspdried oreganodivided
2 tbspolive oildivided
1 tspfine saltplus extra to taste
to tasteblack pepper
2courgettesmedium, about 350g total; diced into 1.5cm pieces
2 tbsptomato puree
500 gpassata
1chicken or vegetable stock cubemade up with 600ml boiling water
300 gorzo
100 gfetacrumbled

Recipe notes (2)

Note: Orzo keeps absorbing liquid as it stands, so loosen with a splash of hot water if needed before serving leftovers.
Note: For evenly sized meatballs, shape them at about 40g each.

Method

8 steps

Step 1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan. Line a large baking tray or lightly oil it. Keep the raw lamb and anything it touches away from ready-to-eat ingredients, and wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling it.
Step 2. In a large bowl, mix the lamb mince, grated onion, crushed garlic, half the parsley, the lemon zest, the egg, breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix just until evenly combined, then shape into 16 meatballs.
Step 3. Arrange the meatballs on the tray with a little space between them. Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning once if you like, until browned and nearly cooked through.
Step 4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large deep frying pan or sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the courgette and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until it loses its raw edge and starts to colour at the sides.
Step 5. Stir in the chopped garlic, tomato puree and the remaining 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then pour in the passata and the stock. Bring to a gentle boil.
Step 6. Stir the orzo into the sauce, lower to a steady simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch on the bottom. If the pan looks dry before the orzo is tender, add a splash of hot water.
Step 7. Add the baked meatballs and any tray juices to the pan. Simmer for 4-5 minutes more, stirring the orzo around them, until the orzo is tender and the sauce has thickened but is still loose enough to spoon. Check the centre of a meatball with a clean probe thermometer; it should reach 75C for 30 seconds, or 70C for 2 minutes.
Step 8. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, most of the lemon juice and a little black pepper. Taste the sauce and add extra salt or lemon juice if needed. Scatter over the feta and the remaining parsley, then leave for 2 minutes before serving.