Eggplant "Meatballs"

[deucemagnet]

Last edited Sat Jan 12, 2013, 11:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Hi all! I haven't posted for a while, but I was enjoying some eggplant "meatballs" today and I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Eggplant Meatballs

Time 20-25 minutes
Serves 18

Ingredients

3 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 eggplant (~12 oz.) peeled and diced
1 to 2 Tbs water
1 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 large eggs slightly beaten
1/2 cupfreshly grated Pecorino (Romano) cheese
1/4 cupvegetable oil
3 cup tomato pasta sauce, warmed through
1 lb. pasta
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or saucepan and slowly cook the garlic over medium heat until golden. Add the eggplant and 1 T of the water, cover, and steam the eggplant over low heat until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining water only if the eggplant begins to stick to the skillet. Stir the eggplant occasionally while it cooks. Set the eggplant aside and let it cool.
Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, oregano, eggs and cheese in a large bowl. Stir in the eggplant, mix well, and let it stand for 20 minutes. Scoop small amounts of the mixture into your hands and form meatballs the size of a small egg. There should be enough to make about eighteen. Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, then fry the meatballs, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly, or bake them in an oiled casserole dish in a preheated oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer meatballs to the tomato sauce and keep hot.
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and place pasta in a serving dish. Mix with some of the tomato sauce, then arrange the meatballs and sauce on top of the pasta, and serve immediately. Pass additional cheese for sprinkling on top.
NOTE: When forming the meatballs, wet your hands occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking.

How to make it

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or saucepan and slowly cook the garlic over medium heat until golden. Add the eggplant and 1 T of the water, cover, and steam the eggplant over low heat until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining water only if the eggplant begins to stick to the skillet. Stir the eggplant occasionally while it cooks. Set the eggplant aside and let it cool.
Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, oregano, eggs and cheese in a large bowl. Stir in the eggplant, mix well, and let it stand for 20 minutes. Scoop small amounts of the mixture into your hands and form meatballs the size of a small egg. There should be enough to make about eighteen. Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat, then fry the meatballs, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly, or bake them in an oiled casserole dish in a preheated oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer meatballs to the tomato sauce and keep hot.
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and place pasta in a serving dish. Mix with some of the tomato sauce, then arrange the meatballs and sauce on top of the pasta, and serve immediately. Pass additional cheese for sprinkling on top.
NOTE: When forming the meatballs, wet your hands occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/66939/eggplant-meatballs.html

Tip: If you don't want to mess around with fresh breadcrumbs you can substitute Italian Seasoned breadcrumbs, but omit the salt and fresh parsley if you do so.

Very tasty, great with pasta or on sandwiches. My only complaint is that you have to add a legume to the meal somewhere to complete your protein. Enjoy!

On edit: BTW, I prefer to bake these 30 minutes at 375 degrees, flipping them halfway through.

Edit edit: Also, buy a nice piece of parmesan or pecorino romano (reggiano if money is no object) and grate it yourself for the best results.

3rd Edit: What happened to the thread title?

[tblue]

1. Sounds yummy! Thank you, honey!

I am a 10 year veg, and I love it!!

I made chili from scratch today, gonna save your recipe for sometime soon. Thanks for it!

[deucemagnet]

2. You're very welcome!

I'm getting close to a year and a half as a vegetarian, and I can't imagine going back to my old eating habits. Chili is a good idea, I haven't made that in a while!

[pipoman]

3. I have done something very similar with zuccinni..

without the egg..I used clear-gel starch...served them with mushroom risotto cooked quinoa. I served a banquet and unexpectedly was informed there were 8 vegans coming to the event...used what I had at the time..it was delicious.

I have stored this idea away for another, inevitable surprise..thanks

[deucemagnet]

4. That sounds awesome!

I love cooking risotto and I love quinoa, but I avoid it because it's so calorie-dense.

[brer cat]

5. This sounds yummy!

Have you tried freezing these? We always grow more eggplant than we can eat in the summer, and look for good ways to save them for winter eating.

[deucemagnet]

7. They freeze very well.

When I was staying with my parents last summer I'd make the "meatballs" freeze them on a cookie sheet, then transfer the frozen meatballs to a quart freezer bag. Then, when my mom made spaghetti she could just heat some eggplant meatballs in the sauce for me. They never lasted very long, though, because even the meat-eaters enjoyed the eggplant balls!

You might have to experiment with the eggplant a bit. I like the taste of eggplant, so I cut it into 1/2" chunks so I get some nice bites of eggplant in the meatballs. If you dice the eggplant finer it virtually disappears in the meatball. Still good, but I like to taste the eggplant.

[d_r]

6. that sounds good

I'm going to remember it

[Melissa G]

8. Sounds Yummy!

Thanks!