Hungarian Meatballs with Noodles

In October I had an opportunity to spend four days in Prague.  It was a girl trip as our husbands didn't wish to go.  They missed out on this one...it was an amazing and wonderful experience.  We must have walked a hundred miles and I doubt that we missed seeing anything!  We had some wonderful food and aromatic hot wine to keep us going.

While it isn't Hungary, the cuisine in the Czech Republic is very similar...at least what we ate was.  I came home with the desire to try to recreate some of the tasty dishes we enjoyed.  (and....I think I am in love with paprika and all of the types that are available!)

That brings me to today's post.  It is time for the Secret Recipe Club and I was assigned Denise's blog, Creative Kitchen.  Denise has a very busy and active life.  She loves cooking, baking, photography, bike riding, travel, kayaking, blogging and reading...and she has a husband and three active daughters!  When does she rest!!  Denise doesn't believe that it is humanly possible to follow a recipe to the letter and she adjusts as she cooks...I have a tendency to deviate from a recipe also, so, Denise was the inspiration for the Hungarian Meatballs with Noodles that I prepared.

Hungarian Meatballs with Noodles

1 pound beef (I used a combination of beef and pork.  I used just over 1/2 pound of each.)
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko.)
1 egg
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, thinly sliced or chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 14.5 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, with juice
1 14.5 oz can beef broth
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
1/2 cup sour cream

In a large bowl combine the meat, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, onion, salt, paprika, caraway seeds, and black pepper.  Form into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Working in batches, cook the meatballs, turning often to get them evenly browned.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet and add the carrots, onion and celery.  Cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the flour and paprika and cook for 1 minute.  Pour in the tomatoes and the beef broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan; season to taste.  Add the reserved meatballs, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the meatballs are heated through, about 10-15 minutes.

Put the sour cream in a small bowl, then temper it by stirring in a few spoonfuls of the liquid.  Stir the sour cream mixture back into the pan, coating the meatballs and heating through.

Serve over buttered egg noodles.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Amazing Prague was the first stop on our journey!  I am ready to go back...