Hedgehogs in Tomato Sauce

Instructions

1. I prepare the ingredients for the hedgehogs in tomato sauce. Instead of pork you can use any meat – beef, poultry or rabbit. The tomato juice can be replaced with tomato paste diluted with water to the thickness of kefir. It is best to use sour cream with a high fat content.

   

2. I cut the pork into pieces and put it through a meat grinder to make mince – home-made mince rather than shop-bought, for a better result.

   

3. I rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear – this removes the surface starch, without which the rice will not "bind" the mince.

   

4. I chop the onion into rough pieces, but not too large – this is more convenient for frying later.

   

5. I grate the carrot – a coarse grate gives the characteristic "orange" flecks in the finished sauce.

   

6. I sweeten the tomato juice with the sugar and stir it well – the sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes and gives a "mild" sauce.

   

7. In a deep frying pan I fry all the onion with 2–3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. I cook it only until translucent, without over-frying – "translucent" onion gives the sauce a delicate flavour.

   

8. I add the carrot and fry for a couple of minutes – the carrot should soften slightly but keep its colour.

   

9. I move half of the fried vegetables into the meat mince – this is the "secret" to the juiciness of the hedgehog itself.

   

10. I pour the tomato juice over the remaining vegetables and bring to the boil – this is the base of the future sauce for stewing the hedgehogs.

    

11. I add the sour cream – sour cream makes the sauce delicate and less sour, giving it a characteristic "velvety" touch.

    

12. I stir the sauce, season with salt and take it off the heat straight away – so that the sour cream does not "curdle" from prolonged heating.

    

13. Into the bowl that already holds the mince and the fried vegetables, I pour the rice – raw rice, that is the "secret" of hedgehogs.

    

14. I crack in the egg – it binds the mince into a single mass so that the hedgehogs do not fall apart while stewing.

    

15. I press the garlic through a press – using a press is preferable for an even spread of the garlic aroma.

    

16. I add salt, pepper and Italian herbs – this is the final "bouquet" of seasonings for the mince.

    

17. I mix everything thoroughly so that the mince becomes uniform – all the components should come together into a sticky mass.

    

18. I cover the bottom of the pot in which the hedgehogs will be stewed with 3–4 tablespoons of sauce – so that the hedgehogs do not burn to the bottom.

    

19. With wet hands I start rolling balls from the mince – wet hands stop the mince from sticking.

    

20. I place the shaped balls in the pot – if all the hedgehogs do not fit in one layer, I put them on top of the first layer.

    

21. I pour all the tomato sauce over them – the main thing is that it reaches at least the middle of the top layer of meat balls. If there is not enough of the prepared sauce, I add a little boiled water. Over low heat I stew the hedgehogs under a lid for 30–35 minutes.I serve the hedgehogs in tomato sauce hot, with any side dish – porridge, stewed cabbage or potatoes. You can also put out some chilled sour cream alongside. A dish like this will please both children and their parents.

    

Tips

• 1

  RAW RICE IS A MUST – the "secret" of the characteristic "needles". The main difference between hedgehogs and ordinary meatballs is precisely the raw rice in the mince. As they stew, the grains swell, poke out of the ball and create the characteristic "needle" effect. Boiled rice will not give this visual charm – you will just get ordinary meatballs. This is the "secret" of hedgehogs from the era of Soviet canteens.

• 2

  HEDGEHOGS ARE NOT FRIED – the "secret" of their juiciness. Unlike ordinary meatballs with gravy in a pan, hedgehogs are not fried beforehand – they are stewed straight away in the sauce. This gives them a "boiled", tender texture that is juicier and softer. For a children's menu this is the ideal option – soft meat and tender grains of rice with no tough crust.

• 3

  THE TOMATO-AND-SOUR-CREAM DUO – the "secret" of balance. A purely tomato sauce is too sour, a purely sour-cream one is too bland. Combining the two gives a balanced "golden" sauce with a mild tang and creamy tenderness. The same principle works in cabbage rolls baked in tomato-and-sour-cream sauce – the same duo works perfectly there.

• 4

  WET HANDS – the "secret" of shaping. Dry hands instantly get coated with the sticky mince and rolling the balls turns into a chore. Wet hands (just water from the tap before each hedgehog) stop the mince from sticking – the work goes quickly and the balls come out even and neat.

FAQ

• Comment

• Subscribe Unsubscribe
• Popular

  • Best
  • Popular
  • Newest
  • Oldest

Write comments...

symbols left.

Also subscribe to this post

or post as a guest

Post

Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Be the first to comment.