A serving platter full of lamb meatballs with little bowls of crudites and dips surrounding it

Lamb meatballs with labneh and flatbreads

Name: Lamb meatballs with labneh and flatbreads
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 kg full-fat greek yogurt; chopped to make 4 tbsp dill, plus extra to serve; chopped to make 4 tbsp mint leaves, plus extra to serve; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 800g lamb mince (20% fat); 1 small onion, grated; 75g dates, pitted and finely chopped; 50g pine nuts, toasted; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 2 tsp ground cumin; a pinch dried chilli flakes; olive oil, for frying; 600g strong white bread flour; 75ml olive oil; a pinch sea salt flakes; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; ½ tbsp cumin seeds; 50g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 50ml clarified butter, ghee or extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time1 hr
- + Chilling + Resting
Easy
Serves 6

Ingredients

LABNEH

1 kg full-fat greek yogurt
chopped to make 4 tbsp dill, plus extra to serve
chopped to make 4 tbsp mint leaves, plus extra to serve
1 clove garlic, crushed

MEATBALLS

800g lamb mince (20% fat)
1 small onion, grated
75g dates, pitted and finely chopped
50g pine nuts, toasted
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
a pinch dried chilli flakes
olive oil, for frying

DUKKAH FLATBREADS

600g strong white bread flour
75ml olive oil
a pinch sea salt flakes
1 tbsp coriander seeds
½ tbsp cumin seeds
50g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds
50ml clarified butter, ghee or extra-virgin olive oil

Method

STEP 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.
STEP 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 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
STEP 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 minutes until smooth. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes to relax the dough.
STEP 4
Cut the dough into 16 pieces and roll out on your worksurface into rough ovals (the oil in the dough will help prevent any sticking, but you can lightly dust the worksurface with flour, if you like). Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the flatbreads for 2-3 minutes on each side until bubbles have appeared and turned golden brown, and the flatbreads look dry and toasted. Keep warm while you cook the rest. Or, to make ahead, leave to cool completely, wrap in foil and reheat in a low oven.
STEP 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.
STEP 6
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the meatballs for 10-15 minutes until cooked through and browned on all sides, shaking the pan regularly to turn. You may need to cook these in batches. Spoon onto a plate and season with a little more salt. Brush the dukkah butter over the warm flatbreads.
STEP 7
To serve, thickly spread the labneh over a platter or serving dish, scatter over some of the 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.