Meat balls (bolinho de carne)

My mum taught me how to make meat balls this way (which she probably learned from her mum) and now it's time for me to pass on the recipe to my children. I hate frying things, but once in a while I make an exception for these really delicious meat balls.

Ingredients (for 5, hungry teenagers included)

• 800 grams minced meat
• 5 slices of bread (doesn't need to be fresh, but use a good quality loaf like Pão de Mafra or Pão Alentejano or even something wholemeal)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cloves of garlic
• parsley
• salt
• black pepper
• peanut or olive oil for deep-frying

1. Soak the bread in cold water for 5 minutes then squeeze it dry and blend it with the garlic and parsley.
2. Put the meat and eggs into a bowl and add the above bread mixture.
3. Season with salt and pepper and mix everything very well with clean hands.
4. Roll the meat balls into 3 cm balls and deep-fry them.

In the picture, I served them with mashed potatoes and green beans.