Ras El Hanout Beef Meatballs

In a large bowl, combine the beef mince, ras el hanout, eggs, fine breadcrumbs, the salt, 1/2 the garlic, 1/2 the mint and a pinch of pepper. Using damp hands, shape a heaped spoonful of the beef mixture into a meatball. Place on a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture. You should get 5-6 meatballs per person.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the flaked almonds and toast, tossing, until golden, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Return the pan to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook, turning often, until browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. (The meatballs will continue cooking in step 4.)

Return the frying pan to a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until slightly softened, 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, carrot and remaining garlic and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, passata, water (for the sauce) and 2 crumbled vegetable stock cubes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and return the meatballs to the pan. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water to loosen.

While the sauce is simmering, add the water (for the couscous) and 2 crumbled vegetable stock cubes to a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the couscous and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine, cover with a lid and remove from the heat. Set aside until all the water is absorbed, 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and stir through the chopped baby spinach and remaining mint.