Austrian Meatballs & Spaetzle

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Ingredients

  • 1 10 1/2 ounce spaetzle (German dumplings)
  • 1 10 ounce package brown mushrooms, trimmed and cleaned
  • 2 shallots, peeled
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 14 1/2 ounce can light and low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling. Add spaetzle and cook 25 minutes, following package directions.

2. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup of the mushrooms, the shallots and garlic in a food processor or mini chopper. Pulse to finely chop. Transfer to a large bowl and add ground beef and pork, bread crumbs, egg, dried sage, salt and pepper. Mix just until combined. Shape into 32 meatballs, using 2 tablespoons mixture for each.

3. Heat oil in large, lidded nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs to skillet; it will be a tight fit. Brown meatballs, turning occasionally. Slice remaining mushrooms and add to skillet with all but 1/4 cup of the beef broth. Cover skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes.

4. Mix flour into reserved broth. With a slotted spoon, remove meatballs from skillet. Stir flour mixture into skillet. Simmer 3 minutes, until thickened. Drain spaetzle. Transfer to a platter. Stir meatballs back into sauce in skillet, then spoon over spaetzle and serve.