Albondigas are my favourite meatball with sauce. Served as a tapas, as a main course, snacks, etc. They are easy to prepare and delicious.
For The Meatballs
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil, divided
½ onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 c fresh white bread, torn into small pieces (I have used other kinds of bread)
¼ c beef stock
1kg ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp grated Manchego cheese, or Pecorino
1 Tbsp parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
For The Sauce
1 tsp olive oil (if needed)
1 onion, minced
2 c crushed tomatoes
½ c red wine (pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, or merlot)
¼ c beef stock (we prefer low sodium)
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
Instructions
For The Meatballs
In a small
sauté pan, heat ½ Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic.
Sauté until softened, 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Place the torn bread in a small bowl and pour the stock over it. Let the bread soak up the stock for 2-3 minutes.
In
a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, grated
cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the cooled onion mixture and
soaked bread. Using a large fork or your hands, mix the ingredients
until evenly combined.
Roll
the meat mixture into 1 inch balls and add them to the baking sheet. Bake at 350ºF for 10+ minutes.
For The Sauce
Once
all your meatballs have been browned, add a little oil to the sauté
pan, if needed. Heat the oil over medium high heat and add the minced
onion for the sauce. Sauté the onion until softened, 3-5 minutes.
Add the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, wine, paprika, and salt. Mix well and bring the sauce to a simmer.
Add the meatballs and
reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer the meatballs and sauce for 20
minutes, until the meatballs are cooked and the sauce is thick.
Serve the meatballs with crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
Enjoy!
