Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • divided
  • 1 small white onion
  • finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2½ cups veal stock or chicken and beef stock combined
  • ¾ pound ground pork
  • ¾ pound ground veal
  • 1 egg
  • 2 slices white bread
  • torn
  • soaked briefly in about ¼ cup milk and squeezed of excess liquid
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 5 crispy gingersnap cookies
  • ground up in a food processor
  • 2 tablespoons currant
  • lingonberry or grape jelly
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
  • 1 pound wide egg noodles
  • ¼ cup finely chopped chives and fresh dill
  • ½ cup cornichons or baby gherkins
  • finely chopped

Instruction

  • Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it up to a boil
  • Place a large pan over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons butter
  • Add the onion to the pan and cook until the onion is very tender, 5 to 6 minutes
  • Remove half the onion and cool
  • Over the onions in the pan, sprinkle the flour, stirring to incorporate, and cook for about 1 minute
  • Whisk the stock into the pan and bring up to a bubble
  • Let thicken to a loose gravy
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer while you prepare the meatballs
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled reserved onion, ground meats, egg, milk-soaked bread, allspice, nutmeg, parsley and season with salt and pepper
  • Using a small scoop or spoons, roll the meat mixture into walnut-sized balls
  • Drop the meatballs into the pan of simmering gravy, increase the heat to medium and simmer the meatballs in the gravy, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 10 minutes
  • Stir the ground ginger snaps into the gravy and add jelly to taste for sweetness and balance
  • Cook noodles to tender in the boiling salted water according to package directions
  • Drain, then toss with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, salt, and chopped chives and dill
  • Remove meatballs from heat and stir in creme fraiche
  • Serve meatballs and gravy over herbed egg noodles garnished with cornichons