Spanish albondigas in almond sauce

For the albondigas, first soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. Let them sit for a few minutes to soften, which keeps the meatballs tender.

Add the ground pork and beef, the egg, the pressed garlic and the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Work everything by hand into a smooth, firm mixture, but do not knead it too long or the meat will toughen.

With moistened hands, shape balls about 3 cm across. You should get around 20. Roll them lightly in the plain flour.

Heat the olive oil in a deeper pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides until golden. They stay raw inside and finish cooking in the sauce, so set them aside for now.

Add the finely chopped onion to the pan drippings and soften it over low heat until translucent. Stir in the pressed garlic. Fry it briefly so it does not turn bitter.

Scatter in the smoked paprika and stir quickly. Deglaze at once with the white wine so the paprika does not scorch, and let it bubble and reduce for a few minutes.

Pour in the peeled tomatoes and the vegetable stock. Add the bay leaf and let the sauce simmer gently. Finally stir in the ground almonds, which thicken it naturally and lend a velvety texture, and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Return the meatballs to the sauce and cover. Braise them for about 15 minutes, until cooked through. If the sauce thickens too much, loosen it with a splash of stock.

Season the finished albondigas with salt and pepper. Scatter over the remaining parsley. Serve with crusty baguette to mop up every last bit of sauce.