Albóndigas (Spanish Meatballs in Sauce)

Method

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1. 1Soak the bread in the milk for 5 minutes and mash it. Add the beef, egg, grated garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and knead for 2-3 minutes until evenly mixed and slightly sticky.
2. 2With wet hands, roll walnut-sized balls (about 24), then dust them in flour and shake off the excess.
3. 3Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep pan and brown the meatballs in batches for 4-5 minutes, turning, until coloured all over; they don't need to be cooked through. Set aside on a plate.
4. 4In the same oil, cook the onion and carrot over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised. Add the garlic and paprika and stir for 30 seconds; burnt paprika turns bitter.
5. 5Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then pour in the stock, lemon juice and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
6. 6Return the meatballs to the sauce, partly cover and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through. Shake the pan now and then rather than stirring, so they stay whole.
7. 7Remove the bay leaf, adjust the salt and serve sprinkled with parsley, with bread or fried potatoes to mop up the sauce.