Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup crumbled crackers
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pound ground beef (not more than 15 percent fat)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 pound boiling potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 3 cups beef bouillon (homemade or from a concentrated cube) or canned low sodium beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Method

  • Soak the crackers for 10 minutes in the milk in a small bowl.
  • Squeeze the milk out of the crackers.
  • Place the egg in a food processor and run for 15 seconds.
  • Add the crackers, beef, salt, and black and white pepper and process until pasty.
  • Alternatively, everything can be mixed by hand in a bowl, but the meatballs will be more coarsely textured.
  • Make as many meatballs, 1 inch in diameter, as you can.
  • Set aside.
  • In a large casserole or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
  • Brown the meatballs with the potatoes until light golden on all sides, about 4 minutes.
  • Pour in the beef bouillon and season with salt and pepper and the paprika.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
  • Uncover, raise the heat to medium, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with parsley 5 minutes before the stew is clone, and serve immediately.