Eggplant Mushroom “Meat”balls

When eggplant season is in full swing, I am always looking for cool ways to eat them up, like these Eggplant Mushroom “Meat”balls. Added bonus for Marc if the new recipes are not too “eggplanty”; he gets tired of them way before I do. Since spaghetti with marinara is one of Marc’s favorite foods, Eggplant Mushroom “Meat”balls was a no brainer. It’s based on a recipe for vegetarian meatloaf I made a long time ago, and is another great late summer, early fall transition recipe because it’s a great base for some of that banged-up tomato sauce. The breadcrumbs make the meatballs hearty and filling and the eggplant and mushrooms make it rich and meaty tasting, without the meat.

1 large eggplant (1 – 1 ½ pounds)
1 egg
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (1 teaspoon if dried)
1 tablespoon fresh basil (1 teaspoon if dried)
2 teaspoons salt (inverse to the amount of cheese you pick)
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces parmesan cheese; reserve some for garnish
2 cloves garlic
1 cup bread crumbs (I had homemade ½ white, ½ whole wheat on hand)
2 tablespoons olive oil

Banged-Up Tomato Sauce
Parmesan
Cherry Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut a large eggplant in half. Drizzle with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Bake 1 hour, until flesh is easily spooned out of the skin. Let cool until you can easily handle. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl, cover porcini mushrooms with boiling water (1-2 cups). Let stand until softened (30 minutes). Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce on low. You can add the porcini water to the sauce for extra flavor, or reserve it for another purpose. Also, I like the sauce a little spicy for this dish so add some pepper flakes or cayenne, or both to the sauce. In a food processor, add cheese, herbs, and garlic and pulse until the cheese is grated. Add the softened mushrooms and the eggplant and pulse just a few times, or mix by hand in a large bowl. Add the egg and the breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil or a silpat. Lightly oil with olive oil. Form the meatballs. I made small 1- 1 ½ – inch meatballs. Bake at 350° F until the meatball is browned and crunchy on all sides. I turned them a couple of times, but the total cooking time was about 30 minutes.

I also tried to fry one, just to check which method was most delicious and fortunately, not only was the baked lower in fat, it also was tastier and very crisp on the outside. Serve with sauce, some fresh cherry tomato halves, fresh herbs and cheese.