Lamb Koftas in Chilli Pepper Sauce

I have to say that the real version of this is a bit of a fiddle, as browning the meatballs takes time – as indeed does making the sauce from scratch. However, browning the koftas in the oven brilliantly cuts down the time, and makes me wonder why I didn’t always do it like this. Tesco have triumphed once again with their Arrabiata Sauce and Green Tapenade which together make this really special.

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  Serves 3-4 (makes 16)

Ingredients
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 small bunch fresh mint leaves
1 x 400 g pack minced lamb
1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 x 90g green olive tapenade (preferably Tesco Finest Green Olives with Lemon and Garlic Tapenade)
1 x 350 g tub ready-made fresh arrabbiata sauce (preferably Tesco Italiano Arrabiata sauce)
4 fl oz (120 ml) red wine
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C) and place a solid baking tray with 1½ tablespoons of olive oil in to pre-heat as well.

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This recipe first appeared in You magazine.

Method

Begin with either a mini-chopper or food processor and add to it the quartered onion, the garlic cloves and mint leaves, and chop them quite finely. Now, in a mixing bowl, combine the chopped mixture with the minced lamb, cinnamon and tapenade and a seasoning of salt and freshly milled pepper. Divide this mixture into four and make four little rounds out of each quarter, rolling them in the palm of your hands.

Next remove the baking tray from the oven, add the koftas and stir them around in the hot oil, then return the tray to the oven for 25 minutes, after which time they should have browned nicely round the edges. Meanwhile, mix the sauce with the red wine, and when the 20 minutes is up, transfer the koftas to a heatproof dish, pour the sauce over them and return them to the oven for a further 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

How to Cheat Hero Ingredients
1 x 90 g Tesco Finest Green Olive with Lemon and Garlic Tapenade
1 x 350 g tub fresh Tesco Arrabbiata sauce

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