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Loading ...Let’s have a closer look at one of our favorite and at the same time simple dishes and learn how to make meatballs.
Meatballs are small round balls made from small pieces of meat, herbs, and egg or breadcrumbs pressed together. You can make meatballs from any kind of mince: meat, fish or vegetable. Then you coat them with flour, fry a little and stew.
There are two basic facts you need to be aware of if you want know how to make meatballs that will differ from meat rissoles:
If you are making meatballs the only coat for them is flour, unlike meat rissoles which you can coat with flower as well as with breadcrumbs. Rice flour is considered to be the best for these purposes and wheat flour gets only second place.
Meatballs are made not only from meat or fish mince – you can also use all sorts of other ingredients such as grains (e.g. boiled rise) or vegetables (finely cut tomatoes, mashed potatoes, dried fruit), which will make the dish both look and taste differently. That helps to make meatballs friable, which is the reason why they are cooked faster than meat rissoles.
If you want to know how to make meatballs that will be melting in the mouth take the following tip into account: it is rice that makes meatballs so light and airy. An additional unique flavor to this traditional and at the same time easy dish can be added with eggs, onions and vegetables. Moreover a delicate sauce made from sour cream and tomatoes will bring out the flavor of true meatballs.
In fact meatballs came to us from Turkish peoples: through Balkan and Austrian cuisines. Originally they were boiled in a big pot together with the rest of the food and then were served with thick gravy which resembled sauce. Some modern European cuisines still preserve this tradition. Americans for example have always been interested in Italian cuisine and their favorite Italian dish is spaghetti with meatballs which are no bigger than a golf ball and are served with thin sauce. Portugal offers spaghetti with tiny meatballs and Sicily is famous for its “feast pasta sauces” that also contain meatballs.
Once you have decided to try your hand in making meatballs, the first thing you are to decide is meat. Some cooks suggest that meatballs should be made from beef only. However it can be mixed together with pork half-and-half.
It is preferable to buy fresh meat: tender and with plane surface. You can easily check meat quality by simply pressing on it – it should slowly rehabilitate itself. Such meat will be stewed, fried and soaked with sauce better and will keep its authentic mild taste longer. Try making meatballs just to please your soul and enjoy the delicious taste of it.
You will need:
- mince (beef) – 300g;
- rice – 70g;
- 1 egg;
- 1 onion;
- Sour cream – 250g;
- 2-3 tomatoes;
- dill, salt, pepper to taste.
How to cook:
Peal and wash the onion and chop it finely in a blender together with dill.
Wash the rice, put it into a pot and pour in there some cold water, then put the pot on the fire and bring to a boil. 2-3 minutes later use a colander to dry the rise and cool it.
Mix rice together with minced beef, egg and chopped onion with dill. Season it all with salt and pepper and stir thoroughly.
Make medium-size meatballs from the mixture.
Scald the tomatoes – that will allow you to peel them easily.
Blend peeled tomatoes.
Mix blended tomatoes with sour cream and give the mixture a good stir – the sauce is ready.
Place meatballs on a pan and pour them with the sauce.
Put the pan with the meatballs into the hot oven and leave it there for an hour (t=180~200°?) until it has golden crust.
Serve the meatballs hot together with fresh vegetables.
Enjoy your food!
Note:
Once you are satisfied with your cooking results – try to experiment and learn
How to make meatball soup
Make small meatballs and put them into boiling water. 10-15 minutes later add cut potato, onion and carrot into to the pot. Before the soup is ready season it to your taste and add some greens. You can also add tomatoes.
How to make mini meatballs
The meatballs size is up to you and your taste: you can make them big or small like walnuts. Just remember that it is rice and eggs that keep meatballs from falling apart.
How to make meatballs sauce
There is a great variety of meatballs sauces – starting with easy ones that need 2-3 ingredients and up to the most sophisticated that can require some of your time and attention but will surely be appreciated by your family and guests. Just be creative and cook with love.