Meatballs in goulash gravy

Ingredients:

• for the meatballs: 1 small onion or 1/2 tsp Univer onion paste, 1 garlic clove or 1/4 tsp Univer garlic paste, 2 tbsp oil, 500g minced pork (or turkey leg fillet), 5 tbsp raw or half-cooked rice, 1 level tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 level tsp red paprika, 1 egg
• for the goulash gravy: 80g smoked bacon, 3 tbsp oil, 1 large onion or 1 tbsp Univer onion paste, a good 1 tsp quality ground red paprika, 1 large yellow Hungarian wax pepper and 1 tomato, 1/2 tsp Univer hot Piros Arany or Erős Pista, salt
• to decorate: Univer Karikás Pista

1. For the meatballs, finely chop the onion and press the garlic. Put them into the oil together and sauté over medium heat. The onion and garlic paste need only half a minute in the hot oil. Mix the mince with the rice in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, paprika powder, then the sautéed onion and the egg and mix them well. Shape 12 balls with wet hands. Set them aside. 

2. To prepare the goulash gravy, dice the bacon and put it in a pot large enough for all the meatballs at the bottom. Add the oil and melt the fat content. Finely chop the onion and add it to the crackling bacon, then sauté it over medium heat, stirring continuously. The onion paste needs only half a minute in the hot oil. Take off the heat and sprinkle with paprika, then add 600ml water. Flavour it with the finely chopped pepper and tomato (optionally peeled) and the hot paprika. Add 1/2 tsp salt and cover it leaving a tiny opening, and continue to cook it over medium heat for 30 mins.

3. Puree this tasty goulash base with an immersion blender, though there is no need for a perfectly homogeneous consistency. Add the meatballs and cook them under a lid and over low heat for 30 mins, shaking the pot a few times. Replace the evaporated water as necessary. Add salt and spices to taste. Serve it with fresh bread or ‘tarhonya’ pasta. Decorate it with Karikás Pista.

Useful advice:

Univer stew seasoning makes the goulash gravy even fuller.