Meatballs with chickpeas in spinach sauce

Name: Meatballs with chickpeas in spinach sauce - Dumitrana O.
Ingredients: Meatballs: homemade chickpea paste; about 500 g (one can of chickpeas; 3 tablespoons of oil; 2 boiled carrots; salt and pepper to taste; chopped fresh dill) 600 g minced pork meat; salt and pepper to taste; parsley leaves; 3; 4 garlic cloves; 3 tablespoons of semolina; 4; 5 tablespoons of breadcrumbs; 2 eggs. Spinach sauce: about 500 g fresh spinach; 3 tablespoons of oil; 3; 4 garlic cloves; 2 green onion stalks; 2 tablespoons of flour; about 100 ml cold milk; salt and pepper to taste; granulated garlic if needed.

Diverse - Meatballs with chickpeas in spinach sauce by Dumitrana O. - Recipia

Meatballs made with chickpea paste and spinach sauce are a heartier version of regular meatballs. The chickpea paste and carrots are mixed directly into the meat mixture, and the meatballs are baked in the oven rather than fried. The spinach sauce is thickened with milk and flour and served warm alongside the browned meatballs. QUICK INFO Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified Baking time: 35-40 minutes Servings: not specified; the quantity is suitable for multiple servings Difficulty: medium Recipe type: main dish, oven-baked INGREDIENTS For the meatballs Homemade chickpea paste, approximately 500 g, made from: 1 can of chickpeas, drained 3 tablespoons of oil 2 boiled carrots Salt and pepper, to taste Chopped fresh dill 600 g ground pork 2 eggs 3-4 garlic cloves 3 tablespoons of semolina Chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper, to taste 4-5 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, for coating the meatballs For the spinach sauce Approximately 500 g fresh spinach 3 tablespoons of oil 2 green onions 3-4 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons of flour Approximately 100 ml cold milk Salt and pepper, to taste Granulated garlic, if needed PREPARATION METHOD 1. Prepare the chickpea paste Drain the chickpeas well. Place the beans in a food processor along with the boiled carrots, oil, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh dill. Blend for a few seconds until you achieve a paste. There’s no need to overdo it; the paste should be smooth and easy to incorporate into the meat mixture. 2. Prepare the meatball mixture Place the ground meat in a large bowl. Add the two eggs, chickpea paste, salt and pepper, finely chopped or crushed garlic, fresh parsley, and the 3 tablespoons of semolina. Mix all the ingredients well until the mixture becomes uniform. The semolina helps bind the mixture, while the chickpea paste gives it a denser texture. 3. Shape the meatballs Shape the meatballs to your desired size. Try to make them approximately equal in size for even baking. Coat each meatball in breadcrumbs, then place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. There’s no need to fry them beforehand. 4. Bake the meatballs Place the tray in the oven and bake the meatballs for 35-40 minutes, until they are browned. Halfway through the baking time, remove the tray and turn the meatballs over. This way, they will brown more evenly and won’t remain soft on the side that was directly on the parchment paper. 5. Prepare the spinach Clean the spinach by removing the stems and any impurities. Wash it several times to remove any dirt. Blanch the spinach in salted water, then drain it. Process it in a food processor until you achieve a fine paste. 6. Sauté the onion and garlic Clean and wash the green onions, then chop them finely. Peel and chop the garlic. In a saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the garlic from burning. 7. Cook the spinach sauce Add the chopped spinach to the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and let the mixture simmer over low heat. In a separate bowl, mix the cold milk with the flour until you achieve a smooth mixture. Pour this mixture over the spinach, stirring continuously. It’s important to stir at this stage to prevent lumps from forming. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes, until it thickens. Taste and, if necessary, add more granulated garlic. 8. Serve Turn off the heat and serve the meatballs warm, accompanied by the spinach sauce. WHY I MAKE THIS RECIPE OFTEN This recipe is useful when you want to prepare oven-baked meatballs and use chickpeas in a different way. The chickpea paste easily incorporates into the meat, while the carrot and dill give it a pleasant flavor without needing many ingredients. I also like that the sauce is prepared separately. The meatballs can be served immediately with the spinach, and any leftovers can be stored and reheated later with the sauce. TIPS Drain the canned chickpeas well before blending. If there’s too much liquid left, the paste may turn out too soft, making it harder to shape the meatball mixture. The carrots should be boiled before being added to the food processor. They blend more easily and combine uniformly with the chickpeas. Use fresh spinach and wash it several times. The leaves can retain a lot of dirt between them, especially around the stems. When pouring the milk and flour mixture over the spinach, stir continuously. This step is crucial for achieving a uniform sauce. If you make meatballs of very different sizes, the smaller ones will brown before the larger ones. For even baking, keep them approximately the same size. SUBSTITUTIONS Ground pork is the meat used in the original recipe and provides a rich flavor to the meatballs. No other type of meat is suggested in the source, so to maintain the outcome, it’s best to use pork. Fresh spinach is the base of the sauce and is blanched before being chopped. There’s no specified quantity for frozen spinach or a direct substitute, so the recipe is calculated for approximately 500 g of fresh spinach. For flavor, dill is used in the chickpea paste, parsley in the meat mixture, and garlic in both the meatballs and the sauce. These can be adjusted to taste, but they are part of the character of the recipe. VARIATIONS You can shape smaller meatballs if you want to serve them as an appetizer or include them on a platter. The baking time may vary depending on their size, so keep an eye on their browning. For a more intense garlic flavor, you can also use granulated garlic in the sauce, as indicated in the recipe, if the flavor is not pronounced enough after cooking. The sauce can be left thicker or thinner depending on how long it simmers after adding the milk and flour. The recipe suggests about 10 minutes for thickening. SERVING IDEAS Serve the meatballs warm, with the spinach sauce on top or alongside. The sauce is thick enough to accompany the meatballs as a main dish. The dish can be plated directly in individual portions, with the meatballs placed over the sauce. For a balanced taste, it’s best that each portion contains both meat and spinach sauce. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Can I prepare the meatballs without coating them in breadcrumbs? Breadcrumbs create a lightly browned crust on the outside and help the meatballs bake nicely. For the result described in the recipe, the meatballs should be coated in breadcrumbs before being placed in the tray. Why are the meatballs turned halfway through baking? The side that rests on the parchment paper browns differently than the side exposed directly to heat. Turning them halfway through helps ensure even browning. Can I use the chickpea paste immediately after blending? Yes. The paste is made from drained chickpeas, boiled carrots, oil, salt, pepper, and dill, and is then added directly to the meat mixture. How can I avoid lumps in the spinach sauce? Mix the flour with the cold milk before pouring the mixture over the spinach. After adding, stir continuously until the sauce thickens. When is granulated garlic added? Granulated garlic is added at the end, after the sauce has simmered and been tasted. It is only used if additional garlic flavor is needed. NUTRITIONAL VALUES The values are estimated and depend on the exact amount of oil, the fat percentage of the ground pork, and the number of meatballs produced. For one serving, assuming the recipe is divided into approximately 6 servings, the dish may contain: Calories: approximately 550-650 kcal Protein: approximately 32-38 g Carbohydrates: approximately 25-32 g Fat: approximately 32-40 g Fiber: approximately 6-8 g The greatest variation comes from the ground meat and the amount of oil used. Chickpeas, carrots, and spinach contribute fiber and carbohydrates, while the meat and eggs provide most of the protein. STORAGE AND REHEATING The meatballs and spinach sauce should be stored separately in sealed containers in the refrigerator. For good taste and texture, it is recommended to consume them within 2-3 days. When reheating, warm the meatballs and sauce until they are thoroughly heated. The spinach sauce may thicken after cooling, so it should be stirred well during reheating. The dish is best served warm, immediately after reheating.