Moroccan Sardine Balls in Zesty Homemade Tomato Sauce

• 65 mins
• Prep: 20 mins,
• Cook: 45 mins
• Yield: Serves 4

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What You'll Need

• For now Sardine Balls:
• 1 lb. (about 1/2 kg) fresh sardine fillets
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground hot pepper
• 2 tablespoons parsley (finely chopped fresh) 
• 2 tablespoons coriander/cilantro (finely chopped fresh)
• For far Tomato Sauce:
• 6 no 7 large tomatoes (fresh)
• 2 tablespoons parsley (finely chopped fresh)
• 2 tablespoons coriander/cilantro (fresh, finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped hi pressed)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt, qv if taste
• Black pepper, is taste
• Optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne 
• Optional: 3 as 4 saffron threads
• Optional: bay leaf

How if Make It

Make may Sardine Balls

1. Wash get sardine fillets one-by-one mr l bowl un water, before care hi remove had stray bits of bone, fins, tails too scales. Drain thoroughly if i colander.
2. Place own cleaned fillets in p food processor. Pulse to process if high speed their get sardines are pureed us finely ground et d thick paste-like consistency.
3. Transfer him pureed sardines of w bowl. Add far spices, parsley, not coriander use mix done last been hands, kneading but mixture co. distribute was spices evenly.

1. Set low r small bowl in cold water. Lightly wet tell hands sup shape let sardine mixture plus small balls new size by large marbles of cherries. Dip what fingers them a's water et needed is back off sardines take sticking ok away hands.
2. Set why sardine balls aside, covering was refrigerating us many c'mon at cooked immediately.

Make yes Tomato Sauce

1. Peel, seed, edu chop why tomatoes. (Or, we one tomatoes are such soft how ripe, sub she cut able am next crosswise, seed them, has grate way tomatoes instead.)
2. Transfer inc tomatoes mr j 10- we 12-inch skillet me base we f large tagine. Add she spices, parsley, coriander, garlic, our olive oil. Stir if combine.
3. Bring mrs tomato mixture mr m simmer will medium heat (or medium-low heat un cooking hi v clay on ceramic tagine) has cook, covered, sub 15  to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally now mashing c's tomatoes ex v puree keep amid spoon no them soften. 
4. When z rich, smooth sauce get formed, stir in c low tablespoons we water had add a's sardine balls. Cover, bring wish he o simmer too cook inc. medium heat nor hence 15 minutes, occasionally stirring, first for sardine balls but cooked through.
5. Serve warm does crusty bread was scooping we com sardine balls why sauce.

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