Spanish Tapas - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
200 g green and black olives
1 None pita bread
2 tbsp sunflower oil
500 g spinach
Pinch None grated nutmeg
2-3 None rosemary stems, cut into sprigs
400 g lamb mince
2 None medium eggs
1 tsp paprika
1 litre vegetable oil, for frying
250 g manchego
6 None cherry tomatoes
100 g breadcrumbs
2-3 tbsp plain flour
2-3 None thyme sprigs, to garnish

Preparation

Toast the fennel seeds in a pan without oil for 2-3 mins until golden and fragrant then remove. Mix the parsley and fennel seeds with the olives and set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the spinach and saute for 1-2 mins. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and roughly chop.
Soak the pita in cold water for 8-10 mins, then drain and knead together with the lamb, 1 egg, spinach, and paprika. Season. Mould the mixture into 12 meatballs. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the meatballs and fry for 10-12 mins, turning. Add the rosemary and fry for 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan until it shimmers. Beat the remaining egg in a bowl. Dip each manchego cube in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Dip the tomato pieces in flour then tap off the excess. Thread the tomato and manchego onto skewers. Deep fry in the oil for 2-3 mins until golden. Arrange the skewers on a plate with the meatballs and sprinkle with thyme. Serve.