Cevapcici

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 25 PIECES AT APPROXIMATELY 30 GRAMS PER CEVAPCICI
THE CEVAPCICI MUST BE REFRIGERATED FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS
700g ground meat – beef only
150g onion – very finely chopped, chopped, or grated
3 garlic cloves – more for garlic lovers
1.5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tbsp olive oil – plus olive oil for frying
NOTE: There are many variations of the basic cevapcici recipe in the Balkans. Almost every region prefers different types of meat, spices, and preparation. Beef is often combined with lamb, instead of pork. What all versions have in common is that the meat is minced twice, with the onion being finely chopped in the second pass. It’s best to weigh about 30 g of minced meat per meat roll, so they’ll be nice and even.
Place the cevapcici next to each other (preferably closer together) on a plate and cover them tightly with cling film. Store in the coolest place (= above the vegetable drawer or in the 0-degree zone) for at least 2 hours and let them marinate.
TIP:

You can also, like some Croatians, chill the cevapcici from one day to the next and let them marinate. In any case, my recommendation is that your minced meat should have been freshly ground by the butcher or minced by you the same day and be really fresh.
Now add olive oil to a non-stick pan, covering the bottom of the pan by about 2-3 mm, so use plenty of olive oil. Heat slowly, under supervision, and cook the cevapcici on all sides over medium heat, turning frequently, for a total of about 8 minutes.

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