Eggplant Meatballs
I can’t believe it took me this long to try an eggplant meatball. The best way to describe it is if eggplant cutlets were grounded up into the shape of meatballs- they’re perfectly creamy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and scented with the classic Italian aromas of onions, garlic, and basil. Serve these with a simple homemade tomato sauce and eggplant meatballs will have your heart and you won’t think twice about the missing meat. Here’s my recipe…
Ingredients:
1 lb of eggplant (I used 2 baby eggplants- they’re typically more flavorful, have a better texture, and have fewer seeds)
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
1/4 c of Italian bread crumbs
1/4 of parmigiano reggiano, pecorino romano, or a mix of both
1 small clove of garlic (optional)
a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional)
kosher salt (Diamond Kosher always)
special equipment:
a food processor
method:
preheat your oven to 350 F
cut the tops, bottoms, and sides off your eggplants, removing most of the skin
cut into small cubes
place into a bowl and season with two big pinches of kosher salt
toss the eggplant with the salt and let sit for 15 minutes (this is a great time to start your sauce if you’re making a homemade one)
after the 15 minutes have passed you’ll see that the eggplant has released a lot of its water
get a sheet tray ready and start squeezing the extra water out a handful at a time really making sure to get as much as you can out (you don’t want any extra water because your eggplant mixture will be too wet)
coat the eggplant with a good drizzle of evoo and bake for 35-40 minutes until softened
meanwhile, saute your onion over medium heat with a little evoo until soft and translucent
once your eggplant is cooked, remove it from the oven and place it into the food processor with your onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes if using
pulse until smooth
then add your breadcrumbs and cheese and pulse until smooth
taste the mixture for seasoning and adjust if needed (if you’re adding in fresh parsley or basil fold that in by hand)
line a sheet tray with parchment and roll your eggplant into balls using a half-ounce ice cream scoop
bake at 350 F for 20 minutes and then turn your oven to broil and broil them for another 3-5 minutes until golden brown
serve these with tomato sauce and top with a drizzle of evoo, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of cheese, and enjoy