Spanish Meatballs in Sauce

Name: Spanish Meatballs in Sauce
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: Serves 6 servings
Ingredients: 2.2 lbs mixed ground pork and beef (1 kg); 1 onion; 1 leek; 2 tomatoes; 1/2 cup white wine (120 ml); 4 cloves garlic; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; Milk; Flour; Bread crumbs or soft bread; 2 eggs; Beef broth; Starchy potatoes (such as Russet); Olive oil; Salt; Fresh parsley

Juan Cannas @Cannas_1962

Pontevedra

In Spain, this dish was introduced by the Arabs. The word “Al-bunduqa” means “hazelnut” and refers to the shape of the little balls, which is how they got their name. Today, they’re much larger than hazelnuts, but that’s only because living standards have improved a lot since the Middle Ages. There are many ways to make them, even varying the types of ingredients—there are versions with different meats, fish, or vegetables.

Juan Cannas @Cannas_1962

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Ingredients

60 minutes

Serves 6 servings

2.2 lbsmixed ground pork and beef (1 kg)
1onion
1leek
2tomatoes
1/2 cupwhite wine (120 ml)
4 clovesgarlic
1/2 teaspoonground nutmeg
Milk
Flour
Bread crumbs or soft bread
2eggs
Beef broth
Starchy potatoes (such as Russet)
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh parsley

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Steps

60 minutes

1

Soak the bread crumbs or soft bread in a bowl with milk. Finely chop half of the garlic cloves and place them in another bowl. Add the ground meat, eggs, grated nutmeg, chopped parsley, the soaked bread, and a pinch of salt. Mix and knead everything well until you have a large ball of meat mixture.
2

Take small portions of the meat mixture and shape them into round meatballs. Dredge them in flour and fry them in a skillet with plenty of oil. Set aside.
3

Finely chop the onion, leek, and remaining garlic. Peel and grate the tomatoes. Sauté these vegetables in a skillet with a splash of oil. Add salt and cook over low heat until softened. Once softened, add the grated tomato and continue cooking until well reduced.
4

Add a teaspoon of flour and cook briefly. Pour in the white wine and a little beef broth. Add more broth if needed, as the sauce can get thick. Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
5

Transfer the vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a pot. Add the meatballs to the pot and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.
6

After this time, remove from heat and let rest for a bit. While resting, fry some potatoes. Serve the meatballs with the fried potatoes and enjoy.