I first tasted this dish in Djvary, a small Jewish-georgian restaurant in Tbilisi.  They contain both dried fruit and meat, a favorite marriage in the cuisines of Bulgaria, Georgia, Armenia, and Hungary." Silvena Rowe

• 7 ounces ground veal
• 7 ounces ground chicken
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1/4 cup dried sour cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, roughly chopped and lightly toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg white, lightly whipped
• Small bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• Small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method

Combine the veal and chicken in a bowl, then add the onion, garlic, sour cherries, pine nuts, paprika, allspice, and cinnamon.  Mix well, then add the egg white and mix again.  Finally, add the fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste and mix thoroughly.

Shape the mixture into small balls the size of golf balls.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, then sauté the meatballs, a few at a time, turning occasionally, until cooked through and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves: 6

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Reprinted with permission from ©The Eastern and Central European Kitchen: Contemporary and Classic Recipes,
by Silvena Rowe, published by Interlink Books.  click for review

 

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