Stroganoff vs strogonoff

Meatballs Stroganoff
The Essential Pasta Cookbook Copyright 1998

1 lb macaroni I used gemelli since this called for non-elbow macaroni which I could not find
1 ½ lb lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 tablespoons plain flour
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons oil
1 ¾ oz butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8 oz small button mushrooms, halved
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup white wine
½ cup beef stock
¾ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. Cook the macaroni in a large pan of rapidly boiling water until al dente. Drain; keep warm.
2. Combine the beef, garlic and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to mix well. Roll 2 heaped teaspoons of the mince into balls. Combine the flour, paprika and some freshly ground black pepper on a clean surface or sheet of greaseproof paper. Dust the meatballs in the seasoned flour.
3. Heat the oil and half the butter in a frying pan. When foaming, cook the meatballs over medium heat, in batches, until brown. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
4. Melt the remaining butter in the pan, add the onion and cook until soft. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Pour in the combined tomato paste, mustard, wine and stock. Return the meatballs to the pan and gently reheat. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Stir the sour cream through until smooth. Sprinkle with a little parsley and serve with the pasta.


One of the first recipes I made on this blog was Meatballs Strogonoff (yes, that’s how it was spelled in that cookbook). I deemed it okay at the time. This recipe, however, was so much better. Much more complex yet quite easy to throw together. My son even liked this (well, the noodles and sauce). Once again, though, the meatballs weren't as tender as I would have liked them to be. Lean beef with no fillers is just not going to give you a tender meatball.

Another good recipe from this gorgeous pasta cookbook. Sadly, after years of drooling over the food porn in this cookbook, I think the binding is starting to go. I hope it doesn't start losing pages.