Main
Albóndigas (Spain)
- Preparation time
- 45 min
- Servings
- serves 4
Ingredients
- Ground beef — to buy500 g
- Garlic — to buy2 cloves
- Parsley — to buy1 bunch
- Egg — to buy1
- Bread — to buy1 slice
- Milk — to buy50ml
- Neutral oil — to buy2 tbsp
- Onion — to buy1
- Tomato — to buy4
Preparation
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef with the crushed garlic, chopped parsley, beaten egg and the slice of bread soaked in milk, squeezed out and crumbled: this milk-soaked bread keeps the meatballs moist even when fully cooked.
Season generously with salt and pepper, then mix with your hands until the mixture is even, without overworking it or it will turn tough.
Wet your hands and shape even meatballs, about the size of a small golf ball: the water stops the meat sticking to your palms.
Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat and brown the meatballs for 5-6 minutes, turning them, until nicely coloured on all sides (they will finish cooking in the sauce). Set them aside on a plate.
In the same pan, without discarding the browned bits, cook the sliced onion for 4-5 minutes over low heat until translucent.
Add the chopped tomato and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, mashing it a little with a fork, until you get an even sauce.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway, until cooked through (cut one open to check there is no pink left).
Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve piping hot with bread or rice to mop up every last bit of sauce.