Ingredients
For the meatballs:
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground chicken (½ pound each dark and white or store-bought blend)
¾ cup breadcrumbs
⅓ cup half-and-half or cream
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and white pepper
1 egg
3-4 ounce mousse pate (duck and pork or chicken), optional
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
For the gravy:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
2 large shallot, or 1 onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 round tablespoon flour
1 ½ teaspoons paprika or smoked sweet paprika
½ cup sherry or white wine
1 cup beef bone stock or chicken stock
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup cream
1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
To serve:
12-16 ounces extra-wide egg noodles
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup dill, parsley and chives, combined
Directions
Heat oven to 375˚F.
Heat a small skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Melt butter, add onions and garlic and saute a couple of minutes, then add ¾ cup water and let it cook out to soften the onions completely. Cool the onions. Place the meats in a bowl and combine, make a well, add breadcrumbs and moisten with half-n-half or cream. Season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper, add egg, pate and cooled onions, combine the mixture and drizzle with oil. Shape into 2-inch meatballs. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake meatballs about 18 minutes to light golden and cooked through.
Heat a large pot of water to boil for egg noodles.
For gravy, heat a skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, add butter and melt. When it foams, add the mushrooms and brown 7-8 minutes, then add onions and soften, season with salt and pepper, stir in flour and paprika, add sherry or wine, stock and Worcestershire, thicken a bit, add cream and sour cream, then lower heat and let gravy gently bubble.
Cook the egg noodles 1 minute less than directions on bag. Drain noodles and place back in hot pot and melt butter, add herbs and toss. Add a few ladles of gravy if you like.
Coat meatballs in gravy and serve over noodles.
