How do you make MEATBALLS?

[Shafernakerd]

Pls explain it to me like a 5yr old.if you want to make pasta and meatballs. Also what else do you eat meat balls with?

My children like turkey meatballs. I use turkey mince, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and herbs. Sometimes some onion and garlic if I have it.

I forgot I add an egg to the mix and I bake in the oven.

Mince 500g
breadcrumbs handful
grated parmesan 50g
Parsley chopped tbsp
Nutmeg finely grated
Egg 1
Salt and pepper

Mix together and form into small balls. Either fry or baked in the oven for 20mins.
Tomato sauce - olive oil in a pan with chopped garlic, pan on low to flavour the oil. As the garlic starts to brown add 2 tins of tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for about 25mins.
Serve with pasta and garlic bread.

This is how I tend to do mine - the courgette keeps them moist and bulks them out

500g of lamb mince
1 big courgette
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
Bunch of mint
Fresh corriander
1 tablespoon of cumin
1tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon of turmeric
2 teaspoons of paprika
Salt and pepper

Grate the courgette as finely as possible - chop or grate the onion very small - crush the garlic (I do this is the magimix)

Fry the courgette/onion mix with all the spices and salt and pepper in some oil

Chop the mint and coriander very finely (I do this in the magimix too)

Once the courgette mix has cooled enough to handle - mix in with the lamb mince.

Make into balls and fry in a frying pan with very little oil.

Serve in a yogourt sauce

Half pack parsley
Finely diced onion
Salt
Pepper
250g of beef mince and 250g of pork mince
3/4 cup Parmesan

Blitz in food processor till forms a ball (should look like a big lump of sausage meat).

Form meatballs, fry for a few mins each side, add sauce of choice and finish cooking on hob.

Basic but delicious. Ever time I try and jazz them up they always seem to be a bit off.

You can fry the meatballs and then add to the sauce. Or cook the meatballs in a tray covered in sauce in the oven. Or bake in the oven without sauce and just serve with sauce.
I like them baked in sauce in the oven.

@TickledOnion that's the best explanation

Viques - thankyou. I definitely know how to ‘sweat’ an onion.These recipes are amazing!

Question about the bread - does one just throw a slice of bread inside the food processor or do you cut into small pieces first

I use panko breadcrumbs, because it's easier.

Good rule of thumb - more salt, pepper, herbs, garlic etc than you think you need.

Less egg than you think you need, unless you like really solid chewy meatballs.

Mix as little as possible, and let the mixture rest before cooking.

Mince, bit of grated cheese, herbs, teaspoon mustard, breadcrumbs. Never bother with an egg. Walnut sized balls. Definitely brown first then add to sauce. I don't like the soft almost soggy texture of those cooked in the sauce.
Dp's Italian family tend to do tiny marble sized ones but cba faffing with teeny balls like that.

I mix minced beef and minced pork in a bowl with salt and pepper and a tablespoon of mixed herbs. Sometimes I add chopped or squished garlic.

I mix using my hands and mold into balls about 2" diameter. I fry a dozen for out dinner (to add to tomato based sauce) but the rest I put onto a baking tray in the freezer, then next day put the frozen meatballs into a bag in freezer.

I've never needed to add egg or anything to bind the mix together

Annabel Karmels cocktail meatballs

500g beef mince
3 slices white bread
One onion
One chicken stock ‘gel’
Two apples
Salt n pepper

Whizz the bread in a food processor til it’s breadcrumbs, put in a bowl
Peel the apples and onion, whizz them in the food processor
Add the mince, stock gel, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper. Whizz in processor til it’s all mixed together.
Roll into golf ball sized meatballs and bake at 180 for about 20 mins.

Tomato sauce
Chopped onion, sautéed til soft. Add chopped garlic, box of tomato passata, teaspoon of brown sugar. Simmer for 10 mins, blend til smooth, add a touch of balsamic vinegar.

Pour sauce over meatballs

Freeze leftovers.

Or, as someone says upthread, take the skin off sausages and roll into wee balls