Lebanese Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Dawood Basha)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare all ingredients before cooking. Finely chop 150 g yellow onion and mince 15 g garlic. Set aside a wide skillet for frying and simmering, plus a small saucepan for boiling the vermicelli pasta. Measure 500 g ground beef, 400 ml tomato puree, 5 g Lebanese seven spices, 30 g pine nuts, 60 g vermicelli, and 30 ml olive oil.

2. 2

   Heat 15 ml olive oil in the wide skillet over medium heat. Add 30 g pine nuts and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove pine nuts with a spoon and set aside. In a bowl, mix 500 g ground beef, half of the chopped onion, half of the spices, and 1 tsp salt. Shape into 16 walnut-sized balls using lightly oiled hands.

3. 3

   Return the same skillet with cooking juices to medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs until browned all over. Transfer the browned meatballs to a clean plate. If the pan gets too dry or burns, lower the heat slightly and add 1 teaspoon of extra olive oil to loosen bits.

4. 4

   Pour the remaining 15 ml olive oil into the skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 4 minutes until soft and translucent. Pour in 400 ml tomato puree, 150 ml water, and the rest of the spices. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low so it simmers steadily.

5. 5

   Gently slip the meatballs back into the bubbling tomato sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and meatballs are cooked through. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil, cook 60 g vermicelli pasta for 5 minutes until tender, and drain thoroughly using a mesh strainer.

6. 6

   Divide the cooked vermicelli pasta among deep serving bowls. Spoon the juicy meatball mixture and rich tomato sauce generously over the pasta bed. Top each portion with the reserved toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately while piping hot with extra fresh flatbread or side salad if desired.