Slow Cooker Spiced Middle Eastern Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 onion , finely diced1 1oniononions, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic , minced3 3cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp paprika 2 2tsp tsppaprika
• 1 tsp fennel seeds , crushed1 1tsp tspfennel seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp cumin seeds , crushed1 1tsp tspcumin seeds, crushed
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 1/2tsp tspcayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 1/2tsp tspsalt
• 1 pinch saffron threads , (optional)1 1pinch pinchsaffron threads, (optional)
• 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) whole tomatoes 1 1can (28 oz/796 mL) can (28 oz/796 mL)whole tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 2tbsp tbsptomato paste
• Meatballs:
• 1 small onion , grated1 1small onion, grated
• 1 egg 1 1eggeggs
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs 1/3 1/3cup cupbread crumbs
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/3 1/3cup cupchopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green olives 1/4 1/4cup cupfinely chopped green olivegreen olives
• 1 tsp cumin seeds , crushed1 1tsp tspcumin seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp dried oregano 1 1tsp tspdried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 1/2tsp tspsalt
• 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 1/2tsp tsppepper
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 1/4tsp tspcinnamon
• 1-1/2 lb medium ground beef 1-1/2 1-1/2lb lbmedium ground beef or lean ground beef