The Miraculous Meatball
Onions and garlic are peeled, thoroughly washed, and finely chopped, ensuring that the flavors will be evenly released into the meatball mixture. The mushrooms, delicious and nutritious, are carefully sliced and then chopped into larger pieces to add a pleasant texture to the dish. Parsley, a herb that enriches the taste and appearance, is washed and finely chopped, preparing to integrate perfectly into the mix. The meat, preferably pork or beef, is passed through the meat grinder twice to achieve a fine and homogeneous consistency, essential for a juicy meatball.
Once all the ingredients are prepared, all the components specified in the recipe are mixed in a bowl, and the resulting mixture is transferred to the bread machine's bowl. It is important to ensure that the kneading paddle is not in the bowl to allow the meatball to bake evenly. If desired, you can add a few drops of oil between the meat mixture and the walls of the bowl, an optional step that will contribute to an even juicier result. Even though the recipe does not mention this, the meatballs release water and fat during baking.
The bowl is covered, and the baking program is selected, ensuring it is set to the baking program, which is usually the last one on the options panel. On my machine, this program lasts an hour, but to ensure perfect baking, I decided to restart it for another half hour after the first round was completed. The result was a juicy, well-baked, and flavorful meatball, accompanied by a delicious sauce that I served drizzled over mashed potatoes.
About 30 minutes before the baking program ends, I added the prepared glaze, carefully pouring it over the meatball and between it and the walls of the bowl. I mixed the necessary ingredients for the glaze and placed them with a teaspoon, ensuring to cover the meatball evenly. It is important to note that the bread machine does not stop during the addition of the glaze, allowing for a continuous baking process.
Thus, the meatball turned out to be a delight, and from now on, I will definitely resort to this method of preparation, appreciating that no unpleasant smell is produced in the kitchen and that I do not have to deal with mess in the oven. The meatballs have a crispy crust on top and, again, are tender and juicy inside. If you want to experiment with a meatball stuffed with boiled eggs, all you need to do is place a layer of mixture in the bowl, arrange the boiled eggs, and cover them well with the remaining meat mixture.
The amount of meat used is intended for a machine with a capacity of 1 kg, but I reduced it a bit, considering that the original recipe called for 1 kg of meat. The meatball turned out to be about four fingers high, and if I had used the original quantities, it might have been five or six fingers high. From this recipe, I obtained a meatball sufficient to feed four adults and one child, with half left for the next day. This simple and tasty recipe is definitely a dish I will gladly repeat!
Ingredients: for meatballs 1 onion 750 g minced pork (I rarely cook this animal) 250 g mushrooms salt, pepper, paprika to taste chopped parsley (optional) 4-5 cloves of garlic (I put about 8 because we really like garlic) 5-6 tablespoons of breadcrumbs (I used Japanese Panko breadcrumbs) 2 large eggs (or 3 small) for the glaze 4-5 tablespoons of ketchup 1 teaspoon brown sugar (I only put half a teaspoon here) 1 teaspoon of mustard (I put more) 1 bread machine
