Recipe: Spaghetti & ‘Meatballs’

You don’t have to be Italian to love pasta, sauce, and cheese do you?  And you don’t have to be a meat eater to enjoy a savory meatball on top of that spaghetti.

It’s been many, many years since I’ve enjoyed a true Italian meatball.  No one makes them better than my MIL and every holiday her enticing dish of meatballs almost convinces me to break my vegetarianism.

I wish I could say my vegetarian version can compare, but it’s a close runner up.  And you won’t feel guilty eating these.

              INGREDIENTS:

         1 can white beans

         2 small eggplant

         3 cloves garlic, minced

         1/2 cup parmesan romano cheese

         1.5 cups Italian breadcrumbs

         2 eggs

         1/4 cup fresh italian parsley, chopped well

         1 Tbs caraway seeds

         1 tsp oregano

         salt and pepper to taste

         1 Tbs olive oil

Peel eggplant and chop into pieces.  Lightly salt and lay out on paper towels to sweat some of the moisture out.

Meanwhile, add breadcrumbs, cheese, spices and seasonings in a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Drain and rinse can of beans, set aside in food processor.

Heat olive oil, sauté garlic.  Add eggplant and sauté to cook through.

In the processor, add the eggplant and garlic to the beans.  Add eggs and combine well in food processor.   Fold wet mixture into dry mixture and combine well.  Set in fridge for about 20 minutes.

Take the chilled mixture and form into balls, trying not to over handle them so that they don’t fall apart.  Now, from here you have options. You can deep fry these (yum, but not the healthiest option), you can bake them, or you can lightly sauté them to crisp up the edges and then continue to cook them in the sauce.