This is a dish that I learned to cook while Zoe and I were working in Greece in 2019. We spent a good eight months cooking at a place called Soboro, a modern take on the classic Greek taverna. It’s located in the traditional village of Afitos in Halkidiki and we both learnt a lot. This recipe is the perfect touch to inject a little summer into a dish and with our wonderful, local British spring lamb, it's amazing. Thanks again to Jacqui Shepherd for the great photography.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the lamb meatballs:

• 500g good quality lamb mince (we get ours from Roy Porter’s in Chatburn)

• 55g fresh white breadcrumbs

• 1 onion, chopped in fine dice

• 1 clove garlic, crushed with a little salt

• 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 egg, beaten

• Salt

For the tomato sauce:

• 50ml good quality extra virgin olive oil

• 800g (two tins) good quality chopped tomatoes

• 1 clove garlic, crushed with a little salt

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt

For the kritharaki:

• 200g orzo (rice shaped pasta)

• 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

• Sea salt flakes

• Drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil

• Pomegranate seeds

Method

1. Prepare the lamb meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the lamb mince, onion, crushed garlic, parsley, cumin, cinnamon, breadcrumbs, egg and a generous pinch of sea salt. Roll up your sleeves and get your hands stuck in. Knead the mixture thoroughly for about 5 minutes. This helps develop the texture, binding everything together into a paste.

2. With dampened hands, shape the mixture into oval, sausage-like meatballs, approximately 10 cm long. Arrange them on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight if you have time, this will deepen the flavours).

3. Make the tomato sauce: Meanwhile, eat the olive oil gently in a saucepan. Add the crushed garlic and cook until fragrant, taking care not to brown it. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cumin, bay leaf, parsley, and a pinch of salt. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. If the tomatoes are a little sharp, a pinch of sugar will mellow them out beautifully.

4. Cook the meatballs: In a deep frying pan, large enough to hold all the meatballs in a single layer, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides until golden. Drain off any oil you deem as excessive but try to leave some in the pan as it’ll be full of flavour, then pour the rich tomato sauce over the meatballs. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes, checking occasionally. Add a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much.

5. Prepare the kritharaki: While the meatballs simmer, cook the orzo according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain well, then return to the pan. Stir through finely grated zest of lemon, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, the chopped parsley, a pinch of sea salt, and the pomegranate seeds. Finish off with a further drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for a glossy finish.

6. Serving suggestion: A crisp green salad and warm flatbreads make perfect companions to this dish.