Baked patties: A healthier twist on a classic

Cooking dishes in fat is a topic that sparks debate among those who value healthy eating. What’s really at stake here? Aside from adding calories to dishes, the main issue is the oxidation of unsaturated fats and the formation of unhealthy, even carcinogenic, compounds. The matter goes much deeper, and one can debate it endlessly because some types of oils handle high temperatures better than others. My response to all this is: not on my watch.

Instead of spending long hours on such reading, I prepare my baked patties and rest assured about my health. A meal prepared this way is less complicated to digest and simultaneously delicious and tidy. After all the work, there’s less mess left behind. Plus, my liver seems to thank me for the reduced fat intake. It’s all positive—I guarantee it!

Ingredients:

• 900 grams of minced pork (I use shoulder)
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 stale bread roll (+ milk for soaking)
• 1 egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Bread crumbs

Preparation method:

1. Soak the stale roll in milk, then squeeze it out and tear it into pieces.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion, and crush the garlic cloves. Combine these ingredients with the minced meat.
3. Add the egg and season the mixture with salt and pepper.
4. Next, form patties from the prepared mixture and coat them in bread crumbs.
5. Place them in a butter-greased baking dish. Finally, add a bit of butter on top of each patty.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40 minutes. Now my baked patties are ready.

I serve them with mashed potatoes and a pea and carrot salad.