Traditional Polish Meat Patties

Ingredients

• 800g pork mince
• 1 onion
• 1 egg
• ½ cup of milk
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• oil for greasing

Seasonings

• 1 tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of black pepper
• 1 tsp of dried garlic
• 1 tsp of ground paprika
• 1 tsp of dried marjoram

Garnish

• a pinch of freshly chopped parsley

Method

In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs with some milk until moist. Let it sit for a few minutes so the breadcrumbs soak up the milk and plump up.

Set aside the remaining breadcrumbs to coat the patties later.

Peel the onion and dice it finely.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for about 5 minutes or until softened and golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt for flavour.

Remove from the heat and set aside.

Place the meat in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, all the seasonings (salt, black pepper, dried garlic, ground paprika, and dried marjoram), fried onion, and the breadcrumbs soaked earlier with milk.

Using a wooden spoon, mix all ingredients until well incorporated, forming a uniform mass.

Use a spoon to scoop out a portion of the meat mixture and shape it into a ball slightly larger than an egg.

This recipe yields approximately 14 to 16 portions, depending on your desired patty size.

Place the rest of the breadcrumbs in a deep plate or larger bowl. Roll each meatball in the breadcrumbs to coat it completely on all sides.

Gently flatten each coated meatball patty and place it on a chopping board.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Place the coated and flattened meat patties in a frying pan. Fry over medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through.

The time of cooking also depends on how thick the patties are.

You may need to add more oil to the pan during frying, as the patties will absorb some of it.

To check for doneness, cut one patty in half. The centre should no longer be pink but a uniform, slightly grey colour. Alternatively, you can insert a fork in the centre and gently squeeze; there should be no clear or pink juices running out.

Fry the remaining patties using the same method.

Enjoy served with potatoes and vegetable salad.

For an elegant presentation, chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the meat patties just before serving.

Tips

Meat patties can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator. When ready to enjoy, simply heat a frying pan and fry the patties for 2-3 minutes per side to reheat.

As an alternative to breadcrumbs in the meat mixture, you can use a slice of sourdough bread or a bun soaked in milk.