Meatballs - Spanish Tapas Style

I attended a potluck last night where everyone was supposed to bring “appetizer type” food. I’ve been fascinated with Spanish Tapas lately. So I found this recipe on the Spain-Recipes.com site. These were easy to make and extremely delightful. Everyone commented how tasty they were. These are best served hot, straight from the pan. And the recipe suggests providing plenty of fresh bread to “mop up” the juicy tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
8 oz ground beef
1 cup (2 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese (I used Parmesan)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 scallions, chopped fine
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups (16 oz) canned plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:

In a bowl, thoroughly mix together the beef, breadcrumbs, cheese, tomato paste, garlic, scallions, egg, thyme, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 12 to 15 firm balls.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. (I didn’t cook the meatballs all the way, thinking they would firm up while cooking in the tomato sauce. I did brown them, but some tended to readily fall apart. So, I think cooking them a bit more would be best.)

Add the tomatoes, wine, basil, and rosemary. Simmer gently for around 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Click here for printable recipe.