Meatballs for Cuscussù, or Moksci: Though many people associate cuscus with Arab cooking, it also plays a part in Italian Jewish cooking, because it was brought by the Sephardim who fled to italy following the establishment of the Spanish Inquisition in the 1490s. These meatballs are a traditional accomapniment to cuscus, and will also be pleasant tidbit, for example in a fritto misto.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds (700 g) ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/2 an onion minced
- 3 tablespoons bread paste made by dipping bread in broth and squeezing it dry
- 3 artichokes
- 2 zucchini
- A piece of cauliflower
- For the sautéing:
- 1 egg
- Breadcrumbs
- Salt, pepper
- Oil for frying
Preparation:
Combine the meat, bread paste, egg, and season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Strip away all the tough outer leaves of the artichokes, cut them in half, discarding any fuzz you may find in the chokes, and cut them into wedges; cut the other vegetables into wedges too, and wrap a little meat around each piece of vegetable so as to form balls. Dip each meatball thus obtained into a lightly beaten egg, roll it in breadcrumbs, and fry them in hot oil.Set a pot on the fire with a minced clove of garlic and the onion, and sauté the vegetables n olive oil until they onion is golden, then add some water and a dot of tomato paste, and finish cooking the meatballs in the sauce.
