Category
Pasta is what is for dinner!
Author:
Skinnytaste.com
I love eggplant. I also love eggplant parmesan, so I decided to try these meatballs.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 ¼ pounds unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped basil, plus leaves for garnish
1 ½ cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
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1 (24 ounce) jar Marina's Italian Style Tomato Sauce
Part skim ricotta cheese, for serving (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 375° F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the eggplant and ¼ cup water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse a few times.
Transfer to a bowl and add bread crumbs, beaten egg, Romano cheese, parsley, garlic and chopped basil into the eggplant. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.
Form the eggplant mixture into 24 balls about 1 1/8 ounces each, rolling tightly and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm and browned, about 20-25 minutes.
Heat the sauce in a large deep skillet until warm. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish the meatballs with basil leaves and serve with ricotta cheese if desired.
Recipe Note
Nutritional Information
Serving size: 4 meatballs; Calories: 259; Fat: 12 grams; Protein: 9 grams; Carbs: 30 grams; Fiber: 6 grams; Sugar: 7 grams; Sodium: 1180 mg; Cholesterol: 39 mg