Fish Balls in Tomato Sauce

A spicy tomato sauce injects bright flavor into these fish balls, a North African Jewish delicacy.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground cod or haddock
• ½ cup matzo meal or breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 cups fish or vegetable stock
• 1 cup whole, peeled canned tomatoes with juice, crushed
• 1 tsp. sugar, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp. cayenne
• ¼ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
• ¼ tsp. ground allspice

Method:

Stir together fish, matzo meal, 3 tbsp. parsley, cumin, coriander, ginger, 2 cloves garlic, egg white, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Form into thirty-two ½-oz. balls; chill.

Heat oil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic; cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes, sugar, cayenne, chile flakes, allspice, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Add fish balls, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until balls are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

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