Eggplant Meatballs
Being a vegetarian doesn’t mean I don’t like flavor or comfort food.
A huge comfort food classic growing up was spaghetti and meatballs. Vegetarians can eat spaghetti, obviously, so thats a plus. The meatballs are where I ran into a problem. There are a few substitutes out there, like the Trader Joe’s meatless meatballs, however, I wanted something a bit lighter and a bit more natural (though don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my fair share of vegetarian convenience foods!).
Sliced and salted eggplant.
This recipe starts with the humble eggplant — a food that up until about a year ago I thought I hated! Turns out I was doing it wrong. Eggplant needs to have a ton of water released before cooking. It is a bit time consuming, but trust me, if done right, you’ll never look at an eggplant the same way again. The first thing you have to do is slice the eggplant with a mandolin. You could probably do it by hand too, but I’ve never had the same kind of luck getting it this thin by hand so…. use a mandolin if you have it. Salt on both sides and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to release moisture for about a half hour. Once all moisture possible is released, chop the eggplant into small pieces and bake at 400 Fahrenheit in a single layer for about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on them because it will vary depending on the size of your eggplant.
Once baked, they will be slightly browned and not at all watery. Throw them into the food processor with breadcrumbs, pine nuts, eggs and all the spices. Just pulse! Don’t process to a paste or this will not work. After processed, I decided to add some parmesan and to fold in some flour. All thats left is shape into balls and pop them in the oven at 400 Fahrenheit while you prepare whatever you will serve it with.
I chose to do about 13 small balls, but you can do fewer, larger balls if you want. Customize this however you want! These are so yummy and so versatile. Add them to spaghetti, sandwiches, lasagna etc. The world is your oyster…or meatball.
Eggplant Meatballs
Ingredients:
- 1 eggplant
- salt (as much as it takes to liberally coat each slice of eggplant)
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (depending on how large your eggplant is)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- smoked paprika to taste
- dried oregano to taste
- dried basil to taste
- dried rosemary to taste
- 2 cloves garlic
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
- Slice one eggplant with a mandolin. You can do this with your hands if you choose, but I find the thinner, the better. Lay these slices in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel and coat both sides with salt to release moisture. Cover the slices with a towel and let sit for at least a half hour to release as much moisture as possible.
- Cut the slices into rough cubes. These don't have to be exact, they'll get blended anyway. Bake these in a single layer on parchment at 400 Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes
- Once baked, add eggplant to food processor with bread crumbs, pine nuts, eggs and spices. Pulse gently until it is crumbly. Do not blend to a paste or the meatballs will be dense and dry.
- After pulsed, fold in parmesan and flour and form into balls. Add to parchment and cook another 15-20 minutes until firm, but still moist.
- Serve with your favorite pasta dish or on a meatball sub. Enjoy!
