Caramelized Pumpkin Meatballs Recipe Perfect for Rosh Hashanah

This recipe offers a sweet and savory dish perfect for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, featuring caramelized meatballs with pumpkin. The meatballs are made from 1 kg of ground beef, mixed with chopped cilantro, celery, grated onion, breadcrumbs, eggs, oil, salt, pepper, sweet paprika, and a spice blend like Baharat or Ras el Hanout. The mixture is chilled for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

The sauce involves sautéing sliced onions in oil until golden, then caramelizing them with brown sugar and silan (date syrup). Spices, pumpkin cubes, dried apricots, and pitted prunes are added. The prepared meatballs are then arranged over the vegetables. The dish is seasoned with cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and two cups of boiling water are added.

It is brought to a boil, then simmered on low heat, covered, for about an hour. Finally, the pot is transferred to a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for an additional 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is tender, the meatballs are nicely colored, and the sauce has reduced and caramelized.

The recipe, credited to Ilanit Bizri and photographed by Noam Zigdon, is recommended to be served hot with couscous or white rice.