Finely chop the onion and garlic using a food processor or knife (garlic is optional).
Place the minced meat in a bowl and add the chopped onion, garlic, and egg.
Soak 1-2 slices of bread in milk or water for 2-3 minutes until soft, squeeze out excess liquid, crumble with your hands, and mix into the meat mixture.
Season with salt, dry herbs, ground red pepper, and ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or food processor.
Cover and refrigerate the meat mixture for at least 30 minutes.
Heat a skillet with vegetable oil over medium heat for 2 minutes until hot.
Form the meat mixture into cutlets using roughly 1 tablespoon of mixture per cutlet, roll in flour or bread crumbs, and place on the hot skillet.
Fry for 3-4 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
Flip the cutlets, reduce heat to medium-low, and fry for 3-4 minutes until the other side is golden brown and the meat is cooked through.