Palóc bean stew with juicy meatballs | Hearty autumn one-pot meal

In a deep bowl, thoroughly mix the minced pork with the whole egg, breadcrumbs, 1 clove of finely crushed garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Shape the seasoned meat into uniform, walnut-sized meatballs, then set them aside on a tray.

Melt the lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté gently until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the sweet paprika, ground caraway, and the remaining crushed garlic, mix quickly, then pour in about 600 ml of water so the paprika does not burn.

Place the pot back on the heat, add the bay leaves, the washed green beans cut into 2-3 cm pieces, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the ragout base to a boil.