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Meat nests with quail eggs in the oven

Meat Nests with Quail Eggs

Here's a fun twist on everyday meatballs to shake up your menu. What makes it clever is that with the same ingredients you'd use for ordinary homemade patties, you get a dish that's nice enough for a holiday table—thanks to the playful presentation and the seasoning. And instead of frying in oil, you bake it in the oven, so it comes out lighter and healthier. Any side works: boiled potatoes, pasta, or a grain dish. Round it out with fresh vegetables and herbs.

nasstin

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

800

Quail eggs

Onion

150

Garlic

Egg

White bread

150

Milk

100

Hard cheese

100

Table salt

Ground black pepper

Italian herbs

0.5

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 36 % 13 g

Fats 44 % 16 g

Carbohydrates 19 % 7 g

217 kcal

GI: 29 / 0 / 71

Cooking method

Cooking time: 45 min

Step 1:

Here's everything we'll need. Any meat works for this dish—pork, beef, chicken, whatever you like, or a blend of a few for even more flavor. Today I'm using pork. You can also start with store-bought ground meat—whatever's easier for you.
Step 2:

First, soak the bread in the milk and mash it with a fork.
Step 3:

Rinse the meat well under running water, trim away any sinew and membrane, and cut it into pieces that fit your grinder. Peel and wash the onion and garlic, and quarter the onion.
Step 4:

Run the meat, onion, and garlic through a meat grinder. I like to grind my own—that way I know exactly what's in it and that it's fresh. Ground meat is perishable, and it's worth knowing what you're getting.
Step 5:

Salt the ground meat to taste.
Step 6:

Add pepper.
Step 7:

Add a little seasoning to taste—today I used some Italian herbs to give the dish a Mediterranean aroma, but feel free to use your own favorites.
Step 8:

Crack in the egg.
Step 9:

Add the soaked bread. You can grind it together with the meat if you like; I usually don't.
Step 10:

Mix the ground meat well. I usually knead it by hand and slap it against the counter a few times to work out the air—this makes it denser so it holds its shape better.
Step 11:

Any cheese works here—whatever you have on hand, such as cheddar, Gouda, or a mild melting cheese. It really doesn't matter; grate it on the coarse side of a grater.
Step 12:

Grease a baking sheet with oil—I used parchment paper instead, so nothing sticks and there's no scrubbing afterward (a handy kitchen shortcut). Shape the ground meat into a ball with your hands, then press a hollow into the center to make a little nest.
Step 13:

Put a little grated cheese inside each nest.
Step 14:

Crack 2 quail eggs into each nest. You could use one chicken egg instead—add the yolk first, then carefully fill the rest with the white—but in my opinion the quail eggs make it more striking.
Step 15:

Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for 30–35 minutes. To keep the top of the eggs from drying out, you can cover the nests with foil.
Step 16:

The fragrant, good-looking meat nests are ready.
Step 17:

Enjoy!