Kotlety (Russian Meat Patties)

Ingredients

• Ground pork 400 g
• Ground beef (85% lean) 400 g
• White bread, stale, crusts removed 100 g
• Milk 150 ml
• Onion 1 large (150 g)
• Garlic 2 cloves (8 g)
• Egg 1 large (50 g)
• Salt 1.5 tsp (9 g)
• Black pepper, ground 0.5 tsp
• Dry breadcrumbs, plain 50 g
• Sunflower oil, for frying 4 tbsp

Instructions

1. 1

   Tear the bread into pieces, pour over the milk and leave to soak for 10 minutes, then mash it with a fork.

2. 2

   Grate the onion finely or pass it through a meat grinder, and crush the garlic.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, soaked bread with any remaining milk, onion, garlic, egg, salt and pepper, and knead for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and sticky.

4. 4

   With wet hands, shape 12 oval patties about 2 cm thick and roll them in the breadcrumbs.

5. 5

   Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the patties, 6 at a time, for 4-5 minutes per side until well browned.

6. 6

   Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook each batch for 8-10 minutes more, until the juices run clear and the center reaches 71C.

7. 7

   Serve hot with mashed potatoes, buckwheat or pasta and a vegetable salad.