Title: Ukrainian Country Meatballs "Bitki"
Categories: Ethnic European Meat Main
Yield: 6 Servings

1 1/2	lb	Mushrooms fresh or
1/4	lb	Dried mushrooms
2	lb	Beef chuck boneless ground
3		Onions large chopped fine
1/2	c	Butter or margeraine
1		Garlic clove minced
1	c	Flour
2	tb	Bread crumbs

Mix the 1/3 of the onions, meat, breadcrumbs salt & pepper, and garlic. Form balls of this mixture approx. 2" in diameter. Flatten these balls and dredge in flour and brown both sides in butter. Soak mushrooms in cold water if using dried mushrooms. Boil for 30 minutes then drain and reserve the broth. If using fresh mushrooms chop and mix with 1/3 of the remaining onion or mix the boiled mushrooms after chopping wiht the onion. Brown the onion-mushroom mix in butter. Put the remaining chopped onions as a layer in a large pot place 1/2 of the cooked onion-mushroom mixture on this layer of uncooked chopped onion. Place the bitki on top of this layer then cover with the remaining onion-mushroom mixture. If you have the mushroom broth pour 1 cup of this over the layers. If you do not have the broth because you used fresh mushrooms simply pour 1 cup of cool water over the layers. Saute' covered for 15 minutes. This very good over rice or mashed potatos. ORIGIN: Alla Tkachka, Kiev-Ukraine, circa 1996

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