Meatballs
There are numerous recipes for meatballs, and numerous ways in which to cook them. This particular one is my family’s favourite, the one handed over generation through generation from Grandmother to mother to daughter.
This recipe produces a soft juicy meatball cooked in a light onion gravy. I usually make enough sauce to be able to pour it over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice….. and every option will be just as delicious. Of course you can always add tomato sauce to this dish and change up the sauce, to make it more within your taste.
Once again its a super easy recipe, not too time consuming, with a great dish to feed your family and friends in the end. A firm favourite and an everyday recipe you will come back to time and time again.
ENJOY
Ingredients
450-500 grams minced meat. I prefer veal/beef for this dish, as opposed to pork as I find it gives a softer meatball
2 slices crustless bread taken from a 400 gram loaf
65-70 ml milk
220 grams grated cheddar cheese. You can use any soft melting cheese for this recipe.
1-2 eggs
1 clove garlic
1 handful of fresh parsley leaves
Dried breadcrumbs.
SAUCE
1 large onion finely sliced
Olive Oil
Drizzle of white wine
1 teaspoon Italian dried herbs - or whatever herbs you prefer
1 litre meat stock
Handful of frozen Peas (optional)
Instructions
1
Add the two slices of bread to a bowl or soup dish and pour the milk over it. Allow it to rest for five minutes so that the milk is absorbed by the bread.
2
Place the bread, garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor and blitz to integrate throughly.
3
In a separate deep bowl, mix the minced meat with the cheese, then once mixed add in the bread, garlic,parsley mix and stir to incorporate.
4
Beat the eggs separately, and add to the mix slowly, until the whole mix comes together. It should be homogenous and wet but not too sticky. If you squish a handful in your palm it should come together but not stick to your hands.
5
Sparsley sprinkle some dried breadcrumbs onto the base of a tray. Dampen your hands with some oil. Pick up 1 tablespoon minced meat and roll in your hands to form a ball. I usually make 24 meatballs with this, and if its easier for you they weigh between 35-40 g each. Place the meatball on the breadcrumb tray and continue to do this until you have all your meatballs prepared. Sprinkle some more breadcrumbs sparsely on top. The photo below gives you a visual of what I mean.
6
In a deep dish pan sautée the onions until they are soft. Add the dried herbs and cook for a little more.
7
Add a drizzle of wine, and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
8
Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Then slowly-one at a time -add in the meatballs. The liquid needs to be boiling when you do this if not the meatball will disintegrate, and there needs to be enough stock to allow the meatballs to be 3/4 parts immersed (see pic below). Cook on a high setting for five minutes, then lower to medium heat, add the frozen peas (optional), and cook covered for some 20-25 more minutes.
9
After 25 minutes, check the stock, and if its too runny, thicken with some corn flour dissolved in a little water. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Then remove from heat.
10
Serve the meatballs with either chips, mashed potato, pasta, rice the options are endless.
11
Soft and juicy meatballs cosykitchencorner style. I hope you enjoy.
