Meatballs in mushroom and tomato cream

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 slices of toast
• 1 cup of whipped cream, 200 g each
• 2 onions
• 1 tsp butter
• 600 g mushrooms, brown
• 2 cloves garlic
• 6 sprigs of oregano
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• some salt and pepper, black and/or mixed from the mill
• some paprika powder
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 pack of tomatoes, pureed, 500 g
• 150 ml vegetable stock
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 500 g minced meat, mixed
• 1 ½ tsp mustard, medium hot
• 1 m.-sized egg(s)
• e.g. breadcrumbs
• 75 g Gouda, freshly grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

baked

Pour 125ml of cream over the slices of toast and let it soften. Peel and finely dice the onions. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and sauté half of the diced onions until translucent. Then set aside. Trim and halve the mushrooms. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Rinse the oregano, shake dry, and pluck the leaves from the stalks—except for a few for garnish. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or roasting pan and sauté the mushrooms. Then add the remaining diced onions and the chopped garlic and fry briefly. Season with a little salt, a few turns of mixed or black pepper, and a dash of paprika. Stir in the tomato paste, pour in the passata and vegetable stock, then add the oregano leaves and the remaining cream. Bring everything to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 6-8 minutes. Season with a little salt, a few turns of mixed or black pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Squeeze the bread slices well and knead them in a bowl with the minced meat, a little salt, several turns of freshly ground black pepper, mustard, sauteed onions, the egg, and, if desired, a few more breadcrumbs. Form the meatballs into 8 meatballs. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan and fry the meatballs for about 3 minutes on each side. Spread the mushroom and tomato sauce in a baking dish and place the meatballs in it. Sprinkle with freshly grated Gouda cheese and bake in a preheated oven (top/bottom heat: 175°C, fan oven: 150°C) for about 15 minutes. Garnish with the remaining oregano. This goes well with herb mashed potatoes, tagliatelle, parsley potatoes or rice or wild rice or risi bisi.