Spinach meatballs

Name: Spinach meatballs - Dorli F.
Ingredients: SPINACH: 200; 300 g boiled spinach; drained 3; 4 green garlic stalks 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon flour salt 200; 300 ml milk. MEATBALLS: 300 g minced pork 2 slices of bread 5 green garlic stalks 1 egg salt pepper oil for frying

Meat - Spinach meatballs by Dorli F. - Recipia

Spinach Meatballs with Simple Spinach Sauce When I have fresh spinach, I usually use it in this combination: part of it goes into a thick sauce made with milk and garlic, while the rest of the flavor comes from the pork meatballs. The spinach is simmered slowly until it thickens, and the meatballs are fried separately in hot oil. The recipe is easy to make and can be adjusted with a bit of potato, carrot, or greens in the meat mixture if you have them on hand. Quick Info Total Time: not specified in the original recipe; depends on the time needed to prepare and fry the meatballs Preparation Time: not specified Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes for spinach on low heat, plus the time needed to fry the meatballs Servings: number not specified; the amount is suitable for a family, depending on the size of the meatballs and the chosen side dish Difficulty: easy Recipe Type: main dish with meat and spinach Ingredients For the Spinach 200-300 g cooked spinach, drained 3-4 green garlic stalks 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon flour Salt 200-300 ml milk For the Meatballs 300 g minced pork 2 slices of bread 5 green garlic stalks 1 egg Salt Pepper Oil for frying Optionally, you can add potato, carrot, or greens to the meatball mixture, as mentioned in the basic recipe. Preparation Method 1. Prepare the Spinach If using fresh spinach, boil it and let it drain. Once drained, chop it. It doesn't need to be very fine, but large pieces can make the sauce harder to blend. Clean the 3-4 green garlic stalks and crush or chop them, depending on your usual method. 2. Start the Spinach Sauce Heat a tablespoon of oil and add the green garlic. Let it cook for a few seconds, just enough to soften slightly. Be careful not to keep it too long, as garlic can burn quickly. Add the flour and mix until it combines with the oil and garlic. Then add the chopped spinach and mix again. 3. Add the Milk and Simmer Pour the milk over the spinach and stir. Start with the smaller amount of 200 ml, and if the sauce seems too thick, you can use up to 300 ml within the limits of the recipe. Let the spinach simmer on low heat for 20-25 minutes. During this time, the mixture should cook slowly and thicken. Stir occasionally, especially towards the end when the flour starts to bind the sauce. Season with salt. 4. Prepare the Meatball Mixture Place the minced pork in a bowl. Soak the slices of bread in water, then squeeze them well and add them to the meat. Chop the 5 green garlic stalks and add them to the bowl. Add the egg, salt, and pepper. Mix the ingredients until evenly distributed in the meat. If desired, you can also add potato, carrot, or greens at this point. These are optional additions for the meatball mixture, not mandatory ingredients. 5. Shape and Fry the Meatballs Take portions of the mixture and shape them into round meatballs. Try to make them approximately the same size so they cook evenly. Heat oil in a pan and fry the meatballs. Turn them on all sides so they brown evenly and are cooked through. The amount of oil for frying is not specified in the original recipe, so use as much as you deem necessary for your pan and method. Serve the meatballs alongside the cooked spinach. The sauce can be served on the side or directly over the meatballs. Why I Make This Recipe Often It's a practical recipe when I have fresh spinach and want to use it in a heartier dish. The spinach cooks separately, and the meatballs can be prepared while it simmers. The meat mixture allows for small adjustments with potato, carrot, or greens without changing the basic idea of the dish. Tips The spinach should be drained before chopping. If too much water remains, the sauce will be thinner and may require more cooking time. Garlic should be sautéed for just a few seconds before adding the flour. If it browns too much, it can become bitter. Milk should be added gradually, according to the amount specified in the recipe. For a thicker sauce, use less, and for a thinner one, use up to 300 ml. The soaked bread must be squeezed well before being added to the meat. Otherwise, the mixture may become too soft, making it harder to form the meatballs. The meatballs should be fried in hot oil. If the oil is not hot enough, they may absorb more oil and break more easily when turned. Substitutions Green garlic can be used for both the spinach and the meatballs, as per the recipe. If you don't have the same amount, you can use less, but the garlic flavor will be milder. The meat in the basic recipe is minced pork. No other meat is specified in the original recipe, so to maintain the taste and texture, the pork option remains recommended. Variations You can add potato, carrot, or greens to the meatballs. These ingredients can change the texture of the mixture, so it's best to incorporate them gradually and check if the mixture remains cohesive enough to be shaped. For the spinach, you can vary the consistency by adjusting the amount of milk used, between 200 and 300 ml. With less milk, the result will be thicker; with more, it will be more fluid. Serving Ideas The meatballs are served with the cooked spinach as a main dish. The spinach can be placed on the plate with the meatballs on top or served separately, allowing everyone to choose their desired proportion. The dish is hearty enough due to the combination of meat, bread, egg, and the milk sauce. A specific side dish is not necessary to follow the recipe. Frequently Asked Questions Can frozen spinach be used? The original recipe uses cooked and drained spinach without specifying if it is fresh or frozen. If using frozen spinach, it should be thawed and drained well before being chopped and added to the sauce. How long should the spinach be cooked? The spinach should be simmered on low heat for 20-25 minutes to cook and thicken. The time may vary slightly depending on the amount of milk and how thick you want the sauce. What should I do if the meatball mixture is too soft? First, check if the bread was well squeezed. The recipe does not call for additional dry ingredients, so it's better to mix the mixture well and shape the meatballs carefully without adding other ingredients not mentioned in the basic recipe. Can the meatballs be cooked in the spinach sauce? No. In the basic recipe, the meatballs are fried separately in hot oil, and the spinach is cooked separately with milk, flour, and garlic. To maintain the original method, do not combine them in the same cooking step. Nutritional Values The values are estimates and depend mainly on the amount of oil absorbed during frying, the fat percentage of the pork, the exact amount of milk, and the number of servings. For the entire recipe, with 300 g of pork, 2 slices of bread, one egg, 300 g of spinach, 300 ml of milk, and a moderate amount of oil, the estimate is approximately 1,500-1,800 kcal. If the dish is divided into 4 servings, one serving may contain approximately: Calories: 375-450 kcal Protein: 24-29 g Fat: 25-31 g Carbohydrates: 16-22 g Fiber: approximately 3-5 g These figures are not exact. The oil used for frying and fattier meat can significantly increase the caloric intake. Storage and Reheating If there are leftovers, store the meatballs and spinach separately in sealed containers in the refrigerator. It is recommended to consume them shortly without keeping them for several days. When reheating, heat the spinach separately over low heat, stirring to prevent sticking. The meatballs can be reheated separately until they are heated through. Repeated reheating is not recommended, so heat only the amount you plan to serve.

Spinach meatballs

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