Bitochki

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
• 2 slices bread, stale
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley, fresh
• 1/2 teaspoon tarragon, fresh
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 egg, light beaten
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon butter, possibly more
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup dry wine
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1 cup spinach, chopped (optional)

Recipe

• 1 melt the butter in a large saute pan on medium heat, add onion and saute for 10-15 minutes or until carmelized; remove from heat; and save to roll the meatballs into this onion mixture during step 6.
• 2 preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil (for easier clean up) .
• 3 cut the crusts off the bread and break into 1/2 inch pieces.
• 4 soak the bread in milk; squeeze so it is almost dry; and discard milk.
• 5 mix the beef and bread in a large bowl; add salt, pepper, parsley, tarragon, lemon juice, garlic, and egg; blend well.
• 6 shape into 1 inch sized balls; roll meatballs in caramelized onion.
• 7 mix bread crumbs and paprika on a dinner plate; roll the meat balls in the bread crumb mixture.
• 8 put meatballs onto cookie sheet; bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until browned-check after 6 minutes to see if they need turning. (if you are making pasta, start your pasta water).
• 9 while the meatballs are browning, add butter to the saute pan you started with, when almost melted add in next 1/4 cup of onion; saute onion until soft. (you might need to add more butter).
• 10 add mushrooms; cook till soft-here you might want to add two tablespoons or more of water to keep things going.
• 11 add the wine, sour cream, and milk but do not let it boil.
• 12 stir in pepper and nutmeg.
• 13 taste test to see how much salt you want to add-i added 1/4 teaspoon.
• 14 add in spinach, if you want a bit of green vegetable; blend thoroughly.
• 15 after meatballs brown, check to see if centers are done, if not remove with slotted spoon to an oven safe casserole dish; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and put casserole into oven to finish cooking.
• 16 top with sauce when cooked; flavor improves with standing.
• 17 serve with noodles or potatoes.