Spanish Albóndigas

Known as a popular Spanish appetiser, Spanish albóndigas are a real treat. Mediterranean spice meets fruity tomatoes and combines to create a fiery, spicy meal.

Ingredients for the meatballs:

500 g mixed minced meat
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tsp ground cumin
2 stalks fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 egg
1 cup panko flour or breadcrumbs
salt, pepper, nutmeg
1 pinch chilli flakes
5 capers

Ingredients for the Salsa:

1 onion
1 red pepper
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp sugar
150 ml sherry
1 tsp wine vinegar
3 - 4 large tomatoes
300 ml strained tomatoes (from a can)
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 pinch of pepper
1 fresh chilli as desired

Preparation meatballs:

Peel onion and garlic, then chop finely. Wash the parsley, shorten the stems and also chop finely. Remove the capers from the stock and cut into fine pieces.

Put the minced meat in a bowl, add capers, onion, garlic, parsley and all the spices to the minced meat together with the panko. Add the egg as well. Work the mixture into a meat dough. If it is still too soft, add some more panko. Form 2 - 3 cm balls from the minced meat mixture and fry them in a pan over medium heat until golden brown on all sides. Set the pan aside.

Preparation Salsa:

While the meatballs are still frying, roughly dice onion, garlic and pepper. Cut the chilli into fine strips. Cut tomatoes into large chunks.

Put the meatball pan back on the cooker and fry onion, garlic and peppers until translucent. Add sugar, cumin and tomato paste and fry briefly. Deglaze with a little sherry. Add the fresh tomatoes and chilli to the mixture and top up with the remaining sherry and wine vinegar. Season the salsa mixture with salt, sugar, pepper, paprika powder and chilli powder, then simmer for about 20min until the sauce is somewhat creamy.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and allow to simmer again on a low heat.

If desired, sprinkle with fresh coriander and chives and serve with white bread.

If you like it hot, you can add a certain kick to the meat balls with these chilli powders: