This recipe for Spanish-style meatballs packs a lot of flavor into a very small package. They’re perfect for cocktail parties. Tapas, small plates, hors d’oeuvres… whatever you want to call them, appetizers are my favorite kind of food! You can use the ground meat of your choice, but I recommend mixing lamb and beef for a rich, exotic flavor.
Ingredients
- ¼ lb ground lamb
- ½ lb ground beef
- ¾ cup dry bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp cumin
- Pinch of cayenne
- ½ tsp oregano
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, herbs and half the garlic. Mix thoroughly, then form one-inch meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and fry the meatballs in batches until they are browned evenly. Set them aside on a baking sheet.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the grease from cooking the meatballs. Then add the other half of the garlic and the minced onion to the pan. Once the onion has softened (about 6 minutes), stir in the white wine and cook for another 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and their juices. Add the meatballs and simmer on low heat until the sauce thickens (about 20-25 minutes). Taste the sauce and add salt, pepper or other seasonings to taste.
