Try the following albondigas recipe for the Passover / Pesach festival. An albondigas recipe (or albondijas recipe) is one of many favorite traditional Sephardic recipes for the Passover / Pesach festival.

Albóndigas means "meatballs" in Spanish (alternate spelling: Albóndijas). Many albondigas recipes exist that use different kinds of meat or poultry as ingredients, but the following albondigas recipe for the Passover / Pesach festival is a basic albondigas recipe used by many Sephardic Jews (Jews whose ancestors came from either Spain and/or Portugal). Sephardim (alternate spelling: Sefardim; plural form of "Sephardi" or "Sefardi"; descriptive form: "Sephardic" or "Sefardic") typically include beef as the meat, as well as pine nuts, and spices such as garlic, pepper, and cumin.

Albóndigas Recipe

1 pound ground beef
1 large egg
3 tablespoons matzoh meal
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil

The sauce:

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions for the Albóndigas recipe:

  1. In a bowl, combine the beef, egg, matzoh meal, salt, pepper, garlic, pine nuts, parsley and cumin.
  2. Form into meatballs the size of walnuts.
  3. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs, about 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the meatballs and set aside.

To make the sauce:

  1. In the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté until the mixture is soft, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes and stir well.
  3. Add the cinnamon and honey; simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are reduced to a sauce.
  4. Add the water and the meatballs and simmer over low heat, covered, for 30 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of parsley before serving.

Yield: About 2 dozen meatballs (albondigas).


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