Title: Albondigas De Prasa Kon Nuez (Leek & Beef Bal
Categories: Sephardic Turkish Jewish Ground
Yield: 20 Meatballs

2	lb	Leek, white part only
1/2	lb	Ground beef
1/4	c	Walnuts, chopped
2		Eggs, beaten
1/4	c	Matzoh meal
1	ts	Salt, or to taste
		Corn or sunflower oil, for pan-frying

ALBONDIGAS DE PRASA KON NUEZ (Leek and Beef Balls w/Walnuts) This is a popular and ubiquitous culinary choice of Turkish. It goes through several stages, rinsing, chopping or slicing, boiling, squeezing, and is then mixed w/ground beef and made into a meatball or an oval-shaped cutlet. In this recipe walnuts add another texture to create something unique as an appetizer or as one of main dishes at a meal. I enjoyed them in Istanbul for Passover, served w/cheese-stuffed tomatoes.

1. Cut leeks into thin slices, rinse very well to eliminate sand, and cook them in 1 cup of water over moderate heat for abt 10 mins, or until soft. Drain and press out excess liquid. Chop fine.

2. Mix leeks, beef, walnuts, 1 beaten egg, 1 tb matzoh meal, and salt. Mix well and shaped into balls 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Roll balls first in other beaten egg and then in the remaining matzoh meal.

3. Heat oil in a skillet and fry balls over moderate heat for 3 mins, or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Makes abt 20 meatballs.

VARIATION: In place of matzoh meal, you may use regular flour for dredging; for a change you may omit walnuts and use more leeks. In either case, balls could be shaped as cutlets (2-1/2 inches by 1/2 inch) rather than meatballs, if you wish.

Recipe: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992 Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. D. Pileggi

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