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| Austrian Cuisine 

Faschierter Braten - Meat Loaf

Background

Faschierter Braten is a traditional Austrian dish, often served with mashed potatoes, caramelized onion rings and sometimes served alongside a salad. It is a tasteful, satiable and inexpensive meal of ground beef and ground pork. Depending on the kind of preparation, the Braten also has other names: Netzbraten when the ground meat mass is wrapped and roasted in a pork net; Falscher Hase when it is formed like the shape of a hare's back or Stephaniebraten when the roast is additionally filled with a hard boiled egg, pickles, and sausages. The ingredients in the Braten can vary, so numerous nontraditional variations exist. The original recipe can be enriched , for instance, by adding different spices or vegetables to the meat-dough or by mixing the meat with rice in order to reduce the fat content of this dish.

But not only in Austria, almost all over Europe similar versions of this popular delicious and solid fare can be found. The Germans use the term Frikadelle for rissoles, which are formed of the same meat-dough as the Faschierter Braten. In Austria, these rissoles are known as Faschierte Laibchen. The Hungarians like it a bit spicier and add paprika to the meat mass. They form a sausage link and call it Cevapcici. The probably most popular version of rissoles accompanies the hamburger. Again, many interesting and tasteful versions exist in different burgers all over the world.

The easy preparation process of this hearty dish even allows poor cooks to have a try. For one thing, while the Braten is stewing in the oven, there is enough time to prepare the side dishes and to set the table. For another thing, neither lots of cookware, nor extraordinary spices are needed for this enjoyable dish.

If there is some Braten left, it can either be warmed over again or enjoyed as a cold snack. A typical Austrian version of such a cold snack is the so-called Brettl-Jause. For this, different types of cheese, fresh or pickled vegetables like tomatoes, pickles, onions, cucumber or capsicum, and meat are arranged on a plate. Of course, the ingredients may vary slightly according to personal preferences. Primarily, the Brettl-Jause, whose name derives from the wooden plate (Brett) on which it is served, is offered in rural taverns or ski lodges all over Austria.

Ingredients

• 500 g of mixed ground pork and ground beef
• 1 roll
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• 1/2 onion
• 500 ml of consommé or vegetable soup
• salt, pepper, garlic, marjoram (to taste)

Side Dishes

• mashed potatoes
• caramelized onion rings
• salad

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Take the roll, cut it into croûton-sized cubes and soak them in the milk. Then sauté the brunoise-chopped onions in a pan at medium heat. When they have turned golden yellow, put them into a bowl together with the ground meat. Add the roll cubes, the egg, the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, marjoram, and chopped garlic and stir the mixture thoroughly until you have a solid consistency. Now knead this meat-dough into a longish form and place it in a baking dish. Finally, put the Braten into the oven and roast it for approximately 40 minutes until it is golden brown. Serve hot with side dishes and enjoy it!