Meatballs in dough

I have made this recipe several times, especially when I need something filling for breakfast or for a packed lunch. I have seen it with many home cooks, so I tried it too, using what I had in the fridge. What I like most is that I can easily adjust the quantities and that I don't have to complicate things with hard-to-find ingredients. The meatballs are small and can be placed in the dough, but if there are a few left, they can also be eaten plain.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours (includes rising and baking)
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour - 1 hour and a half
Baking time: in total, 30 minutes (5 minutes pre-baking meatballs, then 12-15 minutes for rolls)
Servings: 10-12 pieces, depending on the size of the meatballs
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: hearty snack, packed lunch, breakfast, quick dinner

Ingredients

For the meatballs:
- 600 g beef (or any ground meat)
- 2 boiled potatoes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley and dill
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated cheese, optional (for filling or topping)

For the dough:
- 150 ml buttermilk
- 150 ml warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 boiled and mashed potato
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 500 g white flour
- 1/2 cube of fresh yeast (about 20-25 g)

For decoration:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1-2 tablespoons cumin seeds (or other seeds)

Preparation method

1. Preparing the dough
If using a bread machine, place the ingredients for the dough in the order above: buttermilk, water, oil, mashed potato, salt, sugar, flour, and crumbled yeast. Start the kneading program. If kneading by hand, mix the liquid ingredients with the potato and salt, add the flour and sugar, then the yeast. Knead until you get an elastic dough. Let it rise in a covered bowl in a warm place until it doubles in volume (about 1 hour).

2. The meatballs
Pass the boiled potatoes through a meat grinder, then add the ground meat. Add the crushed garlic, eggs, parsley, dill, paprika, salt, and pepper. Knead well by hand until the mixture is homogeneous. Form small meatballs, about the size of a walnut. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake them in the oven at 200°C for 5 minutes – just to get a light crust on the outside.

3. Assembly
Grease the work surface with a little oil or use a silicone mat. Take a piece of dough and stretch it with your fingers into a round shape. Sprinkle grated cheese if you like (it's not mandatory). Place a meatball in the center, then gather the edges of the dough over the meatball and form a ball. Repeat with all the meatballs.

4. Final rising
Place the rolls with meatballs in a heat-resistant dish, leaving a little space between them. Mix the egg yolk with milk and brush each roll. Sprinkle seeds on top. Place the dish in the oven at 60-70°C or in a warm place for 10-15 minutes to let them rise a bit before the final baking.

5. Baking
Increase the oven temperature to 180°C. Bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes until they are nicely browned on top.

Why I make the recipe often

It is practical for busy days and good for taking on the go. The dough stays soft due to the potato, and the combination with the meatballs makes the snack more filling. The fillings or spices can be easily adapted.

Tips and variations

Tips

Do not overload the rolls with cheese, otherwise they will come apart during baking.
The dough is easier to work with if you grease your hands with a little oil.
If you make the meatballs too big, it will be hard to wrap them in dough.

Substitutions

Beef can be replaced with veal, pork, chicken, or turkey.
Buttermilk can be replaced with thin yogurt.
Parsley and dill can be omitted or replaced with preferred greens.

Variations

You can add cheese to the meatballs or use just the dough to make rolls filled with something else.
If you have leftover meatballs, they can be served separately, not all need to be used in the dough.

Serving ideas

They are good warm, but also work cold as a snack. For dinner, they can be served with a simple salad. For breakfast, they go well with yogurt or kefir.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can the rolls with meatballs be frozen?
Yes, after complete baking, they can be frozen. When reheating, place them directly in the oven without completely thawing them.

2. Can I make the dough without potato?
Yes, but the texture will be denser and not as fluffy.

3. Can dry yeast be used?
Yes, half a cube of fresh yeast (20-25 g) can be replaced with about 7 g of dry yeast.

4. What can I brush the rolls with if I don't have an egg?
You can use plain milk or a little oil.

5. What do I do if I have too much meatball mixture?
Keep the meatballs in the fridge or bake them all and use them later for another meal.

Nutritional values

Approximately, one piece has about 200-250 kcal, depending on the size of the meatball and the amount of cheese. A medium roll contains about 12-14 g of protein, 7-8 g of fat, and 28-30 g of carbohydrates. These values are indicative, exact data may vary depending on the ingredients.

Storage and reheating

They keep well in the fridge, in closed containers, for up to 2 days. For reheating, it is better to put them in the oven for a few minutes. In the microwave, they get soggy, but do not retain their crispy crust. If not consumed within 2 days, they can be frozen, then reheated directly from the freezer.

 Ingredients: For meatballs: 600 g veal 2 boiled potatoes 2 cloves of garlic salt and pepper to taste 3 eggs 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley and dill 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika grated cheese optional For dough: 150 ml buttermilk 150 ml warm water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 boiled and mashed potato 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 500 g white flour 1/2 cube of fresh yeast For decoration: 1 egg yolk 1-2 tablespoons milk 1-2 tablespoons cumin seeds (or any other type of seeds)

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