Meat-and-Egg Zrazy (Stuffed Meatballs)

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make meat-and-egg zrazy? Gather all your ingredients. Use ground meat from whatever kind of meat you like. If you buy it ready-made, choose good quality with no fillers — but it's better to grind it yourself. I'm using pork and chicken. Use large eggs and refined oil. Pick whatever fresh herbs you have on hand; mine are scallions and parsley.

2. Step 2:

   

   Hard-boil the eggs. How? Wash the eggs with soap, gently lower 3 of them into a small saucepan, and cover with cold water. Set the fourth egg aside for now — you'll need it later (step 9). Bring to a boil over high heat, lower to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Cover the eggs with cold water so they peel more easily, and cool them completely.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut the bread into slices and pour milk over it. I use water instead of milk, since I don't care for the taste of milk in patties. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then drain and squeeze the bread well. If too much liquid is left, the mixture will be loose and you won't be able to shape the zrazy. Mash the soaked bread with your hand or a fork into a smooth paste.

4. Step 4:

   

   Peel the onion, rinse it, and cut it into small dice. That way it cooks faster.

5. Step 5:

   

   Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut them into pieces no larger than about 1/2 inch (1x1 cm).

6. Step 6:

   

   Rinse the herbs under running water and dry them on a towel or paper towel. Trim off any tough stems and chop the herbs with a knife.

7. Step 7:

   

   For the onion, use a skillet. Heat it over medium heat, carefully add a tablespoon of vegetable oil so you don't get splashed, and add the diced onion. Sauté over medium heat, stirring now and then, for about 2 minutes, until the onion softens and starts to turn golden. Cool it completely.

8. Step 8:

   

   In a deep bowl, combine the chopped eggs, herbs, and onion. Add a little salt and mix until even. The filling is ready.

9. Step 9:

   

   In a deep bowl that's easy to mix in, combine the ground meat and the bread, and crack in the reserved egg.

10. Step 10:

    

    Season with salt and knead the mixture until smooth. The longer you knead, the easier it will be to work with later. It took me 10 minutes.

11. Step 11:

    

    Now shape the zrazy. This amount makes 8. I made 6 large ones and steamed 4 smaller ones, so mine fit on an 8x12-inch (20x30 cm) dish. To bake them all at once, use your largest baking sheet and grease it with oil. Take a palm-full of the meat mixture, roll it into a ball, and flatten it into a patty about 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick. Place a level tablespoon of filling in the center.

12. Step 12:

    

    Gently lift the edges of the meat and seal the filling inside so none of it shows. Place it seam-side down on the baking sheet. Shape the rest of the zrazy the same way and arrange them on the sheet. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 40 minutes; the time may vary depending on your oven. Let the finished zrazy cool a little, then serve. Enjoy!