Family, so precious.....gathering around the dinner table on a Sunday evening, a beautiful meal on the table and catching up on the events is a perfect way to end a busy week.
My family loves pasta and I am always thinking of ways to make it 'healthier and more filling'.
Eggplant Meat(less) Balls are a great addition to the Spaghetti plate.
All that is needed is a crisp green salad and a piece of garlic toast made from homemade bread!
These Eggplant Meat(less) Balls are great for snacking on, served as an appetizer too! I make up a horseradish/mayo dip, a tzatziki dip or even salsa to dip them in. I encourage you to make up a batch of these, gather your family (or your friends) and just savour the flavours.....they freeze very well too!
EGGPLANT MEAT(LESS) BALLS
perfect for an appetizer or a Spaghetti Dinner...(see photo below)
The ingredients you will need. (I only have 1 egg pictured but you will need 4)
First part of the recipe ready for a mash.
Add the grated Parmesan cheese.....looking good
The Eggplant is roasted and read, all that is needed is for the beautiful flesh to be scooped out.
The Roasted Eggplant is added to the rest of the ingredients.
Final ingredient.....Panko breadcrumbs added and now ready to be shaped into balls.
These Eggplant Meat(less) balls are ready for the oven.
Eggplant Meat(less) Balls Recipe
4 cups roasted eggplant (1 large)
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cup hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup kidney beans (or beans of your choice)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzerella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 eggs, hardboiled
non stick cooking spray for pan
tomato sauce for eating
Wash the eggplant and pat dry. Cut the stem and end off your eggplant, and pierce five or six times to help release the steam and it bakes. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper on it and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 to 40 minutes. You know it is done when you can insert a fork or knife and it goes through the eggplant with no resistance.
(I like it a bit charred....adds a nice smoky flavour)
Once it is cooked, allow it to cool until you can handle it without burning your fingers.
. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant and discard the skins.
While the eggplant is cooling, you can prepare the ingredients to create the whole mix. Chop the parsley, Mozzarella. Cook the eggs and chop them as well. Combine all of these, including the Parmesan and breadcrumbs into a bowl with the prepared eggplant.
Add the four eggs and mix all the ingredients together, by hand is best, until very well combined. If the mixture is too wet to handle, and is sticking to your hands, add more breadcrumbs.
Roll the mixture into balls, the size your family prefers. (I like them smaller than a golf ball size)
It is easier to do if your hands are a bit damp.
Grease or spray with cooking spray a large baking sheet and place balls on sheet, continue until all filling is used up. Bake at 375/400 degrees until nicely browned.
You can freeze these meat(less) balls at this point. When you are ready to serve them, fresh or defrosted, put them into simmering tomato sauce for about 20 minutes to complete the cooking and allow them to soak in the flavour of the sauce. Serve on their own with Parmesan for sprinkling or with pasta, an nice addition of protein to your dinner.
These Eggplant Meat(less) Balls would make a delicious Meat(less) Ball Sub too!
Sunday Spaghetti & Meat(less) Dinner for my family.
Just add some garlic bread and perhaps a bit more cheese and enjoy!
Great comfort food and is very filling.
'For there are no ordinary moments. There are only precious feelings and memories we piece together one by one. We call it a LIFETIME'
Leslie D Stuart
