Bocadillo de albóndigas

Bocadillo de albóndigas is the Spanish version of the popular Italian-American meatball sandwich. It is typically made with a Spanish-style baguette called barra de pan, although other types of bread may also be used such as rustic bread or ciabatta. The filling consists of Spanish meatballs, which are known as albóndigas and are rather smaller than their Italian counterpart. The meatballs are usually made with pork, veal, or beef (or any combination of the three), eggs, bread, onions, garlic, parsley, Manchego cheese, salt, and black pepper, while the tomato sauce in which they’re cooked is typically flavored with smoked paprika and red wine. To assemble the sandwich, the bread is sliced along the middle, filled with several meatballs drenching in the rich tomato gravy, and topped with the other part of the bread. Other common ingredients used in the filling include lettuce, tomato slices, onion rings, mayonnaise, or mustard. This bocadillo variety is one of the most beloved bocadillo sandwiches in Barcelona.