Small Fish Balls With Tomato Sauce (Couirat El Hout)

Submitted by Engrossed

"From “North African Cooking” by Hilaire Walden."

 

• Ready In: 25mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• Fish Balls

• 2 slices bread, crusts removed, presoaked in a little water
• 1 1⁄2 lbs fillet of firm white fish fillets, skinned and minced (such as hake, haddock, or cod)
• 1 large egg, lightly whisked
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

• Sauce

• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
• 1⁄2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1⁄4 cups water
• salt and pepper, to taste
• flat leaf parsley (to garnish) or cilantro, chopped (to garnish)

directions

1. To make the fish balls, squeeze the bread dry, place in a large mixing bowl, add the other ingredients and seasoning and mix thoroughly.
2. With wet hands, form into balls about the size of walnuts.
3. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and cook until softened.
4. Add the garlic and red bell pepper, cook for 2-3- minutes then stir in the spices followed by the tomatoes and water.
5. Bring to a boil. Skim the froth from the surface, add the fish balls and simmer gently for about 8 minutes, turning once.
6. Transfer the fish balls to a warm serving dish and keep warm.
7. Boil the sauce hard until lightly thickened. Pour over fish balls and sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro.