Saffron Meatballs

Saffron meatballs are a delicious dish that can be enriched with this precious spice, giving them a unique flavor and color. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 500g of ground meat (beef, pork, or a mix)
• 1 sachet of saffron powder
• 1 egg
• 50g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 50g of breadcrumbs
• 1 clove of garlic
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Vegetable or meat broth as needed
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the egg, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, finely chopped garlic clove, parsley, salt, and pepper to your taste.
2. Add the saffron to the mixture. You can dissolve the saffron powder in a tablespoon of hot broth to better blend it with the other ingredients.
3. Knead all the ingredients well until you get a homogeneous mixture.
4. Take small amounts of the mixture and form meatballs about the size of a walnut.
5. Heat plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and, once the right temperature is reached, fry the meatballs until they are golden brown on all sides.
6. Once ready, let them rest on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
7. If desired, you can finish cooking the meatballs in the oven or in the broth to ensure that they are evenly cooked without being overly greasy.

Note: If you prefer a lighter version, you can bake the meatballs in the oven at 180 °C until golden brown.

Curiosity

Saffron is a spice derived from the flowers of Crocus sativus, known as “red gold” for its high value and market price. In addition to being used in Mediterranean cuisine, it is traditionally employed in many dishes of Persian, Indian, and other Middle Eastern countries’ cuisines.