Eggplant (non) Meatballs

These are a great vegetarian version of traditional Italian meatballs, easy to make and super delicious. Great as an appetizer or with pasta. Here’s how I do it:

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

2 eggs, beaten

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

1bunch parsley chopped

I made a basic tomato marinara sauce, good quality jarred sauce is fine. Peel and chop the eggplant into small pieces, in a large skillet add a few spoons of olive oil, heat oil then add garlic simmer 2 mins then add the eggplant, a pinch of S&P and simmer till slightly soft remove from heat and let cool. Add the 2 beaten eggs, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley and half the mozzarella, mix well. If it seems too wet add a bit more breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 15 mins then roll balls about 2-3“ big and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 mins at 350F. You can now add these to a pot of sauce or you can put some sauce at the bottom of a casserole dish, add the balls, more sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and place back in oven for an additional 10-15 mins till cheese is melted. Serve piping hot. Add shredded basil on top (optiona).