Meatballs with tomato sauce

Name: Meatballs with tomato sauce - Hortensia L.
Ingredients: For Meatballs 500 g pork 2 slices of bread 2 eggs 4 cloves of garlic 100 ml oil salt; pepper For tomato sauce 30 ml oil 2 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon sugar 2 bay leaves salt

Meat - Meatballs with tomato sauce by Hortensia L. - Recipia

Meatballs with tomato sauce are suitable for a simple lunch, alongside mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. The mixture is prepared from pork meat, soaked bread, eggs, and garlic, while the sauce is made separately, from tomato paste, flour, and a little water. The meatballs are fried in hot oil and then served with the tomato sauce while it is still warm. Quick Info Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified Cooking time: not specified Servings: not specified Difficulty: easy Type of recipe: main dish Ingredients For meatballs 500 g pork meat 2 slices of bread 2 eggs 4 cloves of garlic 100 ml oil, for frying Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste For tomato sauce 30 ml oil 2 tablespoons of flour 3 tablespoons of tomato paste 1 tablespoon of sugar 2 bay leaves Salt, to taste 1 cup of water, with the possibility of adding more if the sauce is too thick Preparation Method 1. Prepare the meatball mixture Put the pork meat together with the garlic and the two slices of bread soaked in water or milk and well-drained. Chop them together until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. It is important that the bread is well squeezed before being added. If too much liquid remains, the mixture can become soft and harder to shape. 2. Add the eggs and spices Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the two raw eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then mix well until the eggs and spices are evenly distributed. The mixture should be firm enough to shape the meatballs by hand. If you work with wet hands, the mixture does not stick as easily. 3. Form the meatballs Wet your hands and shape small meatballs of similar sizes. No exact shape or weight is mentioned, so you can make them according to your preference, while still keeping similar sizes for even frying. Place the formed meatballs aside until you finish the entire mixture. 4. Fry the meatballs Heat the 100 ml of oil in a pan and fry the meatballs in hot oil. Turn them to brown on all sides. Do not overcrowd the meatballs in the pan if there is not enough room. It is easier to fry them in several batches, so they can be turned and browned evenly. After frying, remove them from the pan. 5. Start the tomato sauce For the sauce, put the 30 ml of oil in a pot and let it heat up. Add the flour and let it brown slightly. The flour should be mixed with the oil but not left to burn. A few moments are enough to slightly change its color. 6. Add the tomato paste Put the tomato paste over the browned flour, then add the sugar, bay leaves, and a little salt. Mix to combine the ingredients. 7. Thin the sauce Pour a cup of water over and stir continuously. This helps to homogenize the sauce and prevents lumps from forming. Let the sauce reach the desired consistency. If it is too thick, add water gradually and continue to stir. The sauce should be fluid enough to accompany the meatballs but not watery. 8. Serve Remove the bay leaves before serving, if desired, and pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs or serve it alongside. Meatballs with tomato sauce can be served with mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. Why I make this recipe often It is a practical recipe, with common ingredients and a fairly straightforward preparation. The meatballs can be paired with various sides, depending on what I have on hand, and the tomato sauce makes it easier to serve as a main dish. The taste can be simply adjusted with salt and pepper, without needing other ingredients. Another advantage is that each part of the dish is made separately: first the meatballs, then the sauce. This way, you can more easily control the frying and the consistency of the sauce. Tips The bread should be soaked before being added to the mixture and well squeezed. Both water and milk can be used for soaking, according to the recipe. Mix the meat well with the eggs, garlic, and bread, so that each meatball has a uniform mixture. Wet hands help in shaping the meatballs. If the mixture sticks, wet them again before forming the next pieces. For the sauce, add the water gradually and stir without pause. The flour can form lumps if the liquid is poured suddenly and not incorporated immediately. The sauce can be made thicker or thinner. Adjusting is simple, with water, until it reaches the desired consistency. Substitutions For soaking the bread, either water or milk can be used. The recipe mentions both options. The meat used in the mixture is pork. To keep the recipe in its original form, it should not be replaced with another type of meat without considering that the taste and texture of the meatballs will change. The oil used for frying the meatballs and the one used for the sauce appear separately in the ingredient list. It is advisable to respect this division, as each quantity is intended for a different stage. Variations You can make the meatballs smaller or larger, depending on how you want to serve them. The important thing is to keep them as similar in size as possible, so they fry similarly. The consistency of the sauce can be modified according to preference. For a thicker sauce, use less water; for a thinner one, add water gradually until you reach the desired result. The amount of salt and pepper is adjusted to taste. In the sauce, salt is added separately from the meatball mixture, as the two dishes are seasoned distinctly. Serving Ideas Meatballs with tomato sauce can be served alongside mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice, which are the options mentioned in the recipe. The sauce can be poured directly over the meatballs or served separately, allowing everyone to add as much as they like. If you choose mashed potatoes, the sauce can be poured over the meatballs and served together with the side. With pasta or rice, the meatballs and sauce can be placed on the same plate. Frequently Asked Questions Can I use milk instead of water for the bread in the mixture? Yes. The slices of bread can be soaked in either water or milk. In both cases, the bread must be well drained before being chopped together with the meat and garlic. How do I avoid lumps in the sauce? Pour the water over the mixture of oil, flour, and tomato paste and stir continuously. If the sauce is too thick, add water gradually, without stopping stirring. How big should the meatballs be? The recipe does not specify an exact size. You can mold them according to your preference, but it is useful to keep them as similar as possible for even frying. Can I serve the sauce separately from the meatballs? Yes. The meatballs can be served with the sauce poured on top or with the sauce placed separately. Both options keep the dish in the form of the recipe. What side dishes go well with it? They can be served with mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. Nutritional Values The values below are estimates for the entire recipe and may vary depending on how much oil is absorbed during frying, the type of pork used, and the actual amount of sauce consumed. For the entire recipe: Calories: approximately 2,800–3,300 kcal Protein: approximately 105–120 g Fat: approximately 200–240 g Carbohydrates: approximately 100–120 g These values do not include the side dish. If the dish is divided into four servings, the estimate for one serving would be approximately 700–825 kcal, before adding the mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. The large difference mainly comes from the amount of oil remaining in the meatballs after frying. Storage and Reheating Store the meatballs and sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator. If stored together, the sauce may become thicker after cooling. When reheating, warm the dish gradually. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a little water and stir until it returns to the desired consistency. The meatballs can be reheated together with the sauce or separately, then served with the chosen side.

Meatballs with tomato sauce

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