Cook Hen Mizrahi, from the blog Hen in the Kitchen, knows exactly how to bring joy and happiness to hungry kids—and also to their parents, who are always glad to see a pot of bubbling red-sauce meatballs cooking on the stove.
Before you begin, here are tips for perfect meatballs—and for parents in a hurry:
* It's recommended to fry the meatballs briefly before adding them to the sauce, so they don’t fall apart during cooking and especially for the flavor. A short bake in the oven achieves the same result with less time and less mess.
* It’s a good idea to make a large batch of meatballs, let them cool slightly after frying or baking, transfer them to an airtight container, and freeze them. They keep in the freezer for up to two months—this way, you always have ready meatballs just waiting for sauce.
* The secret to flavorful meatballs is sautéing the onion, which adds delicious sweetness.
* For especially juicy meatballs, it’s recommended to incorporate 20% beef or lamb fat into the mixture.
<br>* It's important to knead the meat mixture only until thin white threads (the protein that forms in the meat and helps bind the mixture) appear—no more than that—otherwise, the meatballs will come out too firm.<br> <br>Meatballs in Red Sauce That Kids Love
<br>Recipe by: Hen Mizrahi
30 minutes prep, 50 minutes total, easy to make, serves 6
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
500 grams ground beef
1 chopped onion
½ bunch chopped parsley or cilantro
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 egg
1 grated tomato
¼ cup breadcrumbs
¼ tsp cumin
½ tsp ras el hanout (optional)
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt (level)
For the red sauce kids love:
¼ cup oil
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp sugar
A pinch of cumin
1 can tomato paste (100 grams)
½ can chopped tomatoes (200 grams)
1 cup water
Salt and black pepper to taste
How to prepare meatballs in red sauce that kids love:
1. The meatballs: Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a small pan, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until golden.
3. In a large bowl, mix and knead all the meatball ingredients by hand—including the sautéed onion—just until the meat mixture becomes sticky and thin white protein threads appear. Do not overmix, or the meatballs will be too firm.
4. Form small meatballs about 2 cm in diameter and place them on the tray. Bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned.
5. The sauce: In a wide, shallow pot, heat the oil. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, being careful not to burn it. Add the spices, stir, and sauté for a few more seconds to release their aroma.
6. Add the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, stir, pour in the water, and bring to a boil.
7. Carefully place the meatballs into the sauce, reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes. Occasionally spoon some sauce over the meatballs during cooking. If needed, add more water—the sauce should reach about halfway up the meatballs.
8. Serve alongside white rice.
Hen Mizrahi, in collaboration with Sugat