Combining homemade meatballs with a tomato and red wine sauce, this classic Spanish recipe is cooked in the oven for a rich, fragrant result.
This Spanish recipe combines classic meatballs with a dark red tomato and wine sauce. The dish is mostly cooked in the oven, which means that the meatballs do not have to be fried beforehand, and the flavors have time to blend for a rich, tasty result.
The meatballs can be served with white rice or boiled potatoes for a substantial meal. Or for a more tapas-style dish, soak up the sauce with chunks of fresh, crusty bread.
Tip: For a lighter variation of this recipe, try replacing the red wine with white. Conventional wisdom says that red meat should be paired with red wine. This is not necessarily the case, as this combination proves.
Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Preparation time: 20 minutes.
Cooking time: 25 minutes.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb / 500 g lean minced beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 2 slices (old) bread, crusts removed
- A little milk
- 1 egg, beaten
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
- ½ glass red wine
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F / 180 degrees C.
- In a large bowl, mix together the mince and garlic.
- Put the bread in a shallow bowl and add just enough milk to cover. Leave to soak for 3-4 minutes.
- Squeeze out any excess milk and crumble the bread into the mince. Add the beaten egg and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. The mixture should be relatively dry, so that that the meat balls retain their shape. If it is too dry and crumbly, however, add a little of the milk squeezed out of the bread and stir again.
- Divide the mince into 16-20 evenly sized portions (about half the size of a golf ball) and roll into balls. Put to one side.
For the sauce:
- In an ovenproof dish with a lid, heat the olive oil on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and fry until golden, about 4-5 minutes. Stir regularly.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, red wine and oregano. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir well, gently bring to the bowl and simmer for about five minutes.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce, put the lid on the saucepan and cook in the oven for 25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Stir once or twice during this time.
The copyright of the article Meatballs in Tomato Sauce in Spanish Food is owned by Cecily Layzell. Permission to republish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
