- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 c. fine fresh breadcrumbs, either white or whole wheat. Don’t use either Wonder Bread types or really dense bread, and remove any thick crisp crusts.
- 1/2 c. buttermilk or yoghurt
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or more or less to taste
- 1 tsp. ground allspice
- 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, or more or less to taste
- 1/2 c. finely chopped onion, NOT supersweet
- 1/2 - 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
- 3/4 c. loosely packed chopped parsley, preferably flat-leaf
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 lb. ground pork, or additional beef
- 1 T. oil
- 2 c. beef stock or broth, or water
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- 1/3 c. snipped fresh dill fronds, optional
In a large bowl combine all the ingredients except the ground meat, stock, sour cream and dill. Let stand for about 30 minutes.
Add
the ground meat to the bowl and gently stir until all elements are
thoroughly combined. Test for seasoning by cooking a tablespoon of the
mixture, taste, then adjust as desired. Form into large or small
meatballs as desired.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over
medium high heat. Add the meatballs, and sauté on all sides until
cooked through. Remove to a plate, cover and keep warm.
Pour off
any excess fat from the skillet and return to the stove over high heat.
Add the stock or water and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned
bits from the bottom. Boil until reduced by half. Remove the skillet
from the stove and whisk in the sour cream and half the dill. Return to
the stove over low heat, being sure to not let the sauce boil – if it
does, it will curdle. Add the meatballs and toss gently to coat with
the sauce. Cook until the meatballs are warmed through, then transfer
to a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining dill.
Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks or as an entrée over noodles. The number of meatballs depends on their size.
