Instructions

1. Dice the onion, adding one-half to a large mixing bowl for the meatballs and the other half to a medium-sized mixing bowl for the tomato sauce. 
2. Mince or press the garlic, adding one-half to the mixing bowl for the meatballs and the other half to the mixing bowl for the tomato sauce.
3. Add the ground meat to the mixing bowl with the onion and garlic. Add cumin, paprika, and cinnamon along with salt and black pepper to the meat mixture. Add the chopped parsley to the bowl. 
4. Using your hands, thoroughly blend the meat and spice mixture.
5. When blended, form the meatballs by hand. They should be roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter. A half-pound of meat should create about a dozen meatballs. Place them to the side while preparing the sauce. 
6. Peel the skin from the tomatoes, grate them using a cheese grater, and then dice the remainder (see notes above).
7. Add the tomatoes to the mixing bowl with the remaining onion and garlic.
8. Add the paprika, cumin, turmeric, red pepper (optional), parsley, and cilantro. Blend with a heavy spatula to mix the seasonings into the tomatoes. 
9. Place the tagine on the stovetop on medium heat. Wait about 5 minutes for the tagine to warm. If using an electric stovetop, use a heat diffuser to distribute the heat.
10. Add the olive oil to the tagine and allow it to warm. 
11. Add the tomato sauce to the tagine, spreading it evenly. Add the meatballs to the tagine, placing them evenly around so that they can soak up the tomato sauce. They don’t need to be covered.
12. Add the bay leaf.
13. Place the lid on the tagine. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 25-30 minutes. 
14. Carefully remove the lid away from the face to release the steam. Crack 3-4 eggs into the tagine, between the meatballs.
15. Replace the lid and cook for another 3-5 minutes depending on how well done you prefer your eggs.