Kifteluze – Moldovan meatballs in wine sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g beef
• 3 m.-large onion(s), white
• ½ large garlic bulb(s)
• 4 tbsp milk or cream
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 250 ml tomato juice or 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 125 ml meat broth
• 4 tbsp wine (white or red wine), tart
• ½ m.-sized carrot(s)
• ½ large parsley root(s) with leaves
• ½ celeriac with greens
• ½ stalk(s) leek
• 6 peppercorns, black
• ½ tsp paprika powder (to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tbsp wine vinegar

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 55 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 55 minutes

To prepare the meatballs, mince the meat twice along with half the onion, pepper, and garlic. Add the milk or cream, mix everything together, and use a teaspoon to scoop out cherry-sized dumplings. Then coat in flour and fry in sunflower oil for 3 to 4 minutes. For the sauce, cut the carrot, parsley root, leek, and celery into small strips. Add the tomato juice or tomato paste with meat broth, along with the toasted flour, vinegar, salt, sugar, and spices. Simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the wine and remove the sauce from the heat. Place the meatballs in 2 to 3 layers in the frying pan, pour the sauce over them, and simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Finally, add the remaining finely chopped garlic, parsley, and celery leaves, remove from the heat, and let simmer with the lid on for another 5 minutes. The meatballs are served in deep plates with the sauce.