Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into cubes no larger than 1 inch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked or canned white beans
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup breadcrumbs, preferably whole wheat
- 2 cup all-purpose tomato sauce
Preparation
Baking Directions:
1.Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Use 1 tablespoon olive oil to grease a large rimmed baking sheet.
Put 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
When it's hot, add the eggplant and ¼ cup water.
Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pieces shrivel a bit and are tender and beginning to color, 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer the eggplant to the bowl of a food processor.
2.Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan along with the onion and garlic and return to the heat.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are soft and translucent.
Meanwhile, drain the beans.
If using canned, rinse the beans also.
Add the beans and parsley to the work bowl with the eggplant and pulse until well combined and chopped, but not pureed.
3.Toss the eggplant mixture with the onion and garlic, then add the breadcrumbs and red chile flakes if you're using them.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Roll the mixture into 12 balls about 2 inches in diameter.
Transfer them to the prepared pan.
Bake, undisturbed, until they're firm and well browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
4.Meanwhile, warm the tomato sauce.
Serve the meatballs hot or at room temperature along with the tomato sauce.
To round out the meal for lunch, serve these over pasta, rice, salad or steamed greens with a squeeze of lemon.
