Polenta with Meatballs in Sauce

To prepare a delicious polenta, the key is to use a cauldron, but if you don't have one, don't worry! You can use a regular pot. Start by boiling water, making sure to choose a large enough container to allow the polenta to expand without problems. Once the water starts to boil, add salt to give it a pleasant taste and sprinkle a small amount of cornmeal, stirring gently.

When the water is boiling, it's time to add the cornmeal. Do this gradually, in a rain-like manner, adding a handful of cornmeal and continuously stirring with a whisk or a wooden spoon. It's important to reduce the heat to low to avoid lumps. The polenta will thicken as it boils, so when you notice it is dense enough, stop adding cornmeal but continue to stir to prevent it from sticking to the sides of the pot. The boiling process will take about 15 minutes, and the polenta should become creamy and well-cooked. Once ready, take the pot off the heat and keep it warm.

Now, let's take care of the meatballs. If you don't have ground meat, you can run the meat through a meat grinder twice for a fine texture. Add the potato, garlic, green onion, and your favorite herbs, all finely chopped. For an extra flavor boost, incorporate the bread (roll) soaked in water and well-squeezed, so it’s not too wet. Add grated cheese, eggs, and don't forget to season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Shape the mixture into balls of your desired size, then roll them in flour to get a crispy crust. Fry the meatballs in hot oil, browning them evenly on all sides until they become golden and appetizing.

For the sauce, sauté the chopped onion in 2-3 tablespoons of hot oil, adding a little water to help it soften. Once the onion becomes translucent, add the crushed or diced tomatoes along with the tomato sauce. Let the sauce simmer on low heat, covered, for 20 minutes. At the end, add the bay leaf, a little sugar, and basil, allowing the sauce to simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then carefully incorporate the fried meatballs, letting them simmer for a few minutes to infuse with the sauce's flavors.

Serving is the highlight: place the warm polenta on a plate alongside the meatballs covered with the aromatic sauce. Enjoy your meal! This combination of creamy polenta and delicious meatballs with sauce will surely delight you.

 Ingredients: For the mamaliga pripita: - approx. 300 g malai flour -1,5 l water -1 teaspoon salt For meatballs: -500 g minced meat (can be pork, mixed, chicken, turkey, etc.) -1 suitable potato or 2 smaller ones -2 slices of bread, without crust, older than 1 day or 1 loaf -50- 100 g grated cheese -2 eggs -4- 5 cloves garlic or green garlic -1 bunch of green parsley, chopped -1 bunch of green dill, chopped -1 onion or 1 bunch of green onion -salt -spspice -garlic -1 clove of parsley, chopped -1 clove of green dill, chopped -1 onion or 1 clove of green onion -salt -pepper -flour -frying oil For the sauce: -1 onion -1 can of grated tomatoes (500 g) -1 teaspoon sugar -1 teaspoon basil -1 bay leaf -salt -spspspice -oil

 Tags:  eggs onion greenery cheese chicken meat garlic tomatoes potatoes flour oil cream pig sugar meatballs