Description
Tefteli in a Cream Sauce is a delicious Eastern European-style meatball dish combining ground pork and chicken with rice and aromatic seasonings, all simmered in a rich and creamy paprika-infused sauce. Perfect for gatherings, this recipe yields a large batch of tender, flavorful meatballs coated in a luscious, comforting cream sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 cups cooked white rice (1 cup raw = 2 cups cooked rice)
- 1 large egg
- 2 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/2 onion, grated or finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 slices soft white bread (wheat-ish bread can be used)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
- Canola oil or grape seed oil (for frying)
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp sour cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1/2 to 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the rice: Prepare the rice according to package instructions. Allow it to cool to room temperature or just slightly warm.
- Soak the bread: Tear the bread into pieces and soak in milk in a separate bowl until the bread softens completely.
- Combine meat and ingredients: In a large bowl, add ground pork and ground chicken. Then add 2 cups cooked rice, pressed garlic cloves, grated onion, egg, salt, and black pepper.
- Incorporate soaked bread: Drain excess milk from the bread so it remains moist but not dripping. Add the bread to the meat mixture and mix thoroughly to combine all elements evenly.
- Prepare breading: Pour Italian bread crumbs into a medium bowl for breading the meatballs.
- Shape and bread meatballs: Form the meat mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll each meatball in the bread crumbs to coat. It is best to bread all meatballs before starting to cook them.
- Brown meatballs: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup canola or grape seed oil and heat it until hot. Fry the meatballs for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until they develop an even golden-brown crust. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Make the sauce base: In the same skillet, add 2 tbsp olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion and grated carrot until softened and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add flour to thicken: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly to form a roux, cooking for about 2 minutes without browning.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Gradually whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream, sour cream, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir continuously to avoid lumps and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer with meatballs: Return the browned meatballs to the pan, spooning sauce over them. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, allowing the meatballs to cook through and flavors to meld.
- Final seasoning and serve: Adjust salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Serve the Tefteli hot with additional sauce spooned over them, ideally accompanied by side dishes like mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Notes
- The meatballs should be uniform in size (about 1 inch) to ensure even cooking.
- Soft bread soaked in milk adds moisture and tenderness to the meatballs.
- Use a mix of ground pork and chicken for balanced flavor and texture.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying meatballs to maintain browning.
- Adjust paprika amount in sauce according to your preferred spice level.
- This recipe yields around 60 meatballs, perfect for large gatherings.
- Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
