Swabian meatballs (Fleischkuechle) for a potluck....

Are you wondering what Swabia is?  Well, it is the part of Germany where I was born and raised. One of my two - the way I feel - homes; the other home is right here in Portland.  Schwaben in German is in the southwest part of Germany http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabia, Tuttlingen - to be exact - is where my family lives http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuttlingen....Last weekend we were at a camp-out and tonight all of us are invited to a potluck party. I asked the girlies what to make and both of them asked for "Kartoffelsalat" - potato salad -, and "Fleischkuechle" - literally translates to meat cakes but a better name is meat patties, meatballs, etc.

Potato Salad with cucumbers, and Mini Fleischkuechle

As all of us are going, and I took the order to make both. Making enough food makes it quite a bit easier at a potluck as we will not have to track people down to check on the ingredients...We also brought along dessert for the girlies - Raspberry Sorbet http://thejollyllama.com/products.php They are sooooo delicious....

Swabian Meatballs - Mini Fleischkuechle
- 2 lbs of ground beef
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 4 sprigs of parsley leaves finely chopped
- salt - app. 2 - 3 teaspoons.  You may need more
- ground pepper
- paprika powder
- 1 egg
- 1/2 - 3/4 C of Pankco breadbrumbs, Matzo, or other breadcrumbs

1. Mix up all the ingredients together until everything is thoroughly blended and mixed
2. Let rest for about an hour in the fridge covered with wrap
3. Form patties, or meatballs (I make patties for dinner and meatballs for parties)
4. Fry in cast iron pan until brown, and all the way cooked.