Eggplant Meatballs

Eggplant Meatballs
​A favorite among my veggie loving family and friends.  Whether you are a vegan, vegetarian or carnivore you will love these tasty and flavorful bites.  They take a just a little time to prepare but are made with a few simple ingredients and worth every delicious bite. Serve with marinara on the side for dipping and toasted pita.

​Ingredients:
1 large eggplant peeled and finely chopped
1 half vidalia onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 cups of breadcrumbs (adding more if needed)
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh Parsley (1 tbsp. if using dried parsley)
Salt and Pepper to taste
​
Steps:
1. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a pot. 
2. Toss in the the onion and saute until translucent. 
3. Next add in the diced eggplant and saute with the onion until soft and golden. 
4. Add minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and cook for just another 2 to 3 minutes. 
5. Remove mixture from pan into a large bowl to cool for one hour. (Tip: you can use this pot to make a nice marinara sauce.  Why dirty another pot, right?)
6. Once the mixture has cooled completely, add in the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. 
7. Taste the mixture to see if you need to add more salt, pepper or even more cheese. 
​8. The mixture should hold together well when you form a meatball (if it is still too wet add a little more breadcrumbs until you have the perfect mix to start shaping your meatballs).
9. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. 
10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and shape the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. 
11. Roast in oven for 10 minutes and then take them out and turn them all so they brown nicely on the other side. 
12. Put back in oven for another 10 minutes until beautiful and brown.
13. Serve with homemade marinara sauce, a spoonful of ricotta cheese or a sprinkle of some parmesan cheese and a nice piece of toasted flatbread and chopped fresh parsley. 
Enjoy!
​