This dish is one of those amazing all-in-one meals, made as my Savta would — on the stovetop using just one pan — but still special enough to be served any day of the week! It’s a combination of the plain Syrian Rice with Noodles, combined with plain meatballs, and yet the dish is so much greater than the sum of its parts.

INGREDIENTS:

For the meatballs:

• 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 kilo (2.2 lb) minced (ground) beef
• 1 egg
• 70g (½ cup) matzah meal or breadcrumbs 
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon mustard 
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

For the casserole:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced 
• 1/4 cup fine egg noodles 
• 2 cups white basmati rice 
• 4 cups chicken stock 
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Prepare the meatballs:

1. Blend the onion: Place the onion chunks in a food processor and pulse until very finely minced.
2. Make the mixture: In a large bowl, combine the minced onion with beef, egg, matzah meal or breadcrumbs, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper.
3. Shape the meatballs: Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll into small balls. You should get approximately 24 meatballs. (Optional: Prepare ahead) At this stage, the meatballs can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature 30–60 minutes before continuing.

Prepare the casserole:

1. Get organised: Measure out all the remaining ingredients before you move on — olive oil, garlic, egg noodles, rice, stock, salt, and pepper.
2. Brown the meatballs: Heat a heavy sauté pan (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Brown the meatballs on all sides for 2–3 minutes. Remove to a dish. You may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
3. Adjust the fat: Ensure you have about 2 tablespoons of fat left in the pan. Pour some off if there’s too much; add more oil if there’s too little.
4. Toast the garlic and noodles: Heat the fat over medium heat. Add the garlic and toast, stirring continuously, until lightly browned — about 1 minute. Add the noodles and continue stirring until golden.
5. Add the rice: Stir in the rice, coating it in the oil until it glistens.
6. Add the meatballs: Place the browned meatballs in a single layer on top of the rice.
7. Cook the casserole: Pour in the chicken stock, season generously with salt and pepper, cover the pot, and reduce heat to medium-low.
8. Let it cook undisturbed: Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed — about 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
9. Steam off the heat: Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for an additional 10 minutes to steam and finish cooking.

MAKE AHEAD:

This casserole is best eaten the day it’s made. However, it can be prepared up to a day ahead. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat thoroughly before serving.