Fish Balls in Tomato Sauce (Spain)

Serves 4

Ingredients

🔹 For the fish balls:

• 400 g cooked or flaked fish (desalted cod, canned tuna, or white fish)

• 1 egg

• 2 slices of crustless bread (or stale bread) soaked in milk

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 small onion, grated (optional)

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

• Salt and pepper

• Breadcrumbs (if the mixture is too wet)

• Olive oil (for frying)

🔹 For the tomato sauce:

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 500 g crushed tomatoes (fresh or canned)

• 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

• 10–15 green olives, pitted

• 1 tbsp capers (optional)

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• ½ glass dry white wine (optional)

• Salt and pepper

• Mild chili powder or smoked paprika (to taste)

Instructions

1. Make the fish balls:
   Finely flake the fish.
   In a large bowl, mix it with the egg, milk-soaked (and well-drained) bread, garlic, parsley, grated onion, salt, and pepper.
   If the mixture is too soft, add a bit of breadcrumbs to firm it up.
   Form walnut-sized balls.
   Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and brown the balls for 3–4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

2. Make the tomato sauce:
   Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
   Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, capers, bay leaf, paprika, and wine if using.
   Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes.

3. Finish the dish:
   Add the fish balls to the sauce and let simmer for another 10 minutes on low heat to soak up the flavors.

Serve with:

• White rice

• Steamed or sautéed potatoes

• Rustic bread or baguette

• Or as tapas, with toothpicks and a bit of lemon