Eggplant Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients

---

• 3 Tbs olive oil shopping list
• 3 cloves garlic, minced shopping list
• 1 eggplant (~12 oz.) peeled and diced shopping list
• 1 to 2 Tbs water shopping list
• 1 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs shopping list
• 1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves shopping list
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt shopping list
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano shopping list
• 2 large eggs slightly beaten shopping list
• 1/2 cupfreshly grated Pecorino (Romano) cheese shopping list
• 1/4 cupvegetable oil shopping list
• 3 cup tomato pasta sauce, warmed through shopping list
• 1 lb. pasta shopping list
• 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. shopping list
• 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. shopping list
• 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. shopping list
• NOTE: When forming the meatballs, wet your hands occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking. shopping list