Russian Meat Patties - Kotlety
In Moldova they are called "parjoale", at my mother's house they are "kotlety" (in Russian), here in Romania they are "meatballs" - so everyone calls them as they know, the important thing is that they are delicious and not missing from any festive meal. Even tastier than my mother's, I haven't eaten from anyone, she's an expert and she makes them every holiday, she freezes them, ready-made - she has meatballs in the freezer on any occasion.
The most important factor for the recipe for good meatballs is to know exactly what meat you gave through the mincer, in no case do you buy ready-minced meat, full of fat and poor quality. Usually we put beef and pork in equal proportions, my mother does more with pork meat, more recently I learned to make them only from beef / veal, anyway make sure you know exactly what meat was minced for the meatballs.
The cooking method can also vary, the best ones are the ones made in oil, see in steps the method - more dietetic ones are made in the oven (you have the picture in step 8) or on an oil-free ceramic pan, a little drier but just as delicious.
So, I recommend you to try them, everyone who tasted my kotlety asked for the recipe. I definitely recommend making reservations in the freezer, they are very useful for unexpected guests or when you don't feel like cooking - they keep their taste and texture perfectly after thawing.
Cut the meat and onion into medium pieces to give them through the mincer.
Franzela (preferably not fresh, you need a drier and older one) soak in water or milk.
Give everything (meat, onion and bread soaked and well drained) through the meat grinder.
Here I used breadcrumbs instead of bread, I put it directly in the chopped onion with meat.
Put in a deeper bowl, add eggs, semolina, salt and pepper, then mix well for 10 minutes with your hands, until you notice that all the ingredients have been incorporated. If the mince is too hard and dry, add more eggs, one by one, after each one, make sure to check if the mince is soft and elastic.
If you think it is too liquid, stir and beat the table / bowl with it 5-10 times, to mix better.
Form the meatballs: soak your hands in water or oil and take a little minced meat (about the size of a medium tomato, one hand), knead well in your hands, then throw from one palm to another 2-3 times, form a ball, flatten it and form round or elongated slices. Arrange them on a bottom or plate greased with a little oil.
Heat the oil well in a pan, put the parjoals.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Then remove the lid and let it brown, turn them on the other side and also, to brown, but without the lid. Then take them out, with a wooden spatula, gather the leftover meat and put the next round of meatballs to make.
The procedure with the lid placed at the beginning of frying will make the meatballs softer and fluffier, tender, I definitely recommend steaming them a little.
Here you see them in a Teflon tray, greased with a little oil, or without oil.
I arrange them and put them in the oven, covered at first optionally with a lid or aluminum foil to steam a little.
Then when they are browned underneath, turn them on the other side and leave them in the oven for another 10 minutes.
If you don't have a Teflon pan, use baking paper, otherwise they will stick to the tray and you won't turn them well.
Here the ones from the oven, a little drier but just as tasty.
Here the ones from the pan, more juicy and tender - be sure to leave them to cool on a plate, arranged in a maximum of 2 layers. After they have cooled well, you can freeze them, in no case do not put them hot in the freezer or refrigerator.
When you make them 2-3 times you will feel the difference in texture to the meat and your meatballs will get better and better, I do not recommend using other spices, they inhibit the natural taste of the meat and are too aromatic.
For veal and beef, I recommend adding more onions and eggs, so that they are tender. Follow the recipe, the recommendations and you will surely have the best parjoale ever eaten.
Good appetite!
