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Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas)

A very popular dish throughout Andalusia, the word itself – Albondiga – derives from an Arabic word “al-bunduga” which means ball, that is quite cheap and easy to make. They were usually made with pork and bread, nowadays the bread content is less and they can be made with beef or more popularly with a 50-50 pork and beef mix. The sauce is either a rich homemade tomato sauce or the one explained here, accompanied by French fries or plain, boiled rice. I prefer the tomato sauce with rice and this carrot, onion and Oloroso sauce with French fries.

Ingredients – serves 4

Meatballs

500 grams of ground meat – here I’ve used 50-50 pork and beef.

2 cloves of garlic – crushed

Chopped handful of flat-leafed parsley

2 slices of bread with the crusts removed – doesn’t matter if it is stale

Small amount of milk, sufficient to soak the break quickly

1 beaten egg

Flour for coating the meat balls

Vegetable oil to fry the meat balls

Salt and pepper

Sauce

1 onion – finely chopped or quickly blitzed in the food processor

2 carrots – finely chopped or blitzed

1 glass of dry Oloroso sherry

2 cloves of garlic – crushed

500 ml of beef stock

1 handful of

Olive oil – 3 dessert spoons

Salt and pepper

Method

Meatballs

1. Mix the meat, bread (squeeze out excess milk), garlic, salt, pepper, egg and parsley together very well.
2. Take small amounts of the mix and shape into balls, the size you prefer, try not to make them too solid, so they retain some texture.
3. Coat lightly in the flour.
4. Heat the oil till a small piece of bread goes to the surface, browning quickly when dropped in.
5. Fry the meatballs until they have browned slightly. If necessary do this in batches.
6. Drain on kitchen paper.

Sauce

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan wide enough to take the meatballs in a single layer if possible.
2. Gently cook the garlic, onions and carrots. Stirring regularly.
3. Turn up the heat and add the Oloroso sherry and let it boil vigorously so most of the alcohol evaporates.
4. Add the stock and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes.
5. Add the meatballs and parsley and simmer a further 30 minutes.

Serve with fries, baked potato, plain rice etc.

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Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas)

Ingredients – serves 4

Sauce

Method

Meatballs

Sauce

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