macaroni with eggplant meatballs

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Macaroni with Eggplant Meatballs

 

Recipe By :Mangia Pasta by Mary Ann Esposito

Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Meatless Pasta

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic -- minced

1 12-oz eggplant -- peeled and diced

1 tablespoon water -- (1 to 2)

1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 large eggs -- slightly beaten

1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 cups tomato sauce with basil -- kept hot

1 pound macaroni

 

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or saucepan and slowly cook the

garlic over medium heat until golden. Add the eggplant and 1 tablespoon of the

water, cover, and steam the eggplant over low heat until very soft, about 10

minutes. Add the remaining water only if the eggplant begins to stick to the

skillet. Stir the eggplant occasionally while it cooks. Set the eggplant aside

and let it cool.

 

Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, oregano, eggs, and cheese in a large

bowl. Stir in the eggplant, mix well, and let it stand for 20 minutes. Scoop

small amounts of the mixture into your hands and form meatballs the size of a

small egg. There should be enough to make about eighteen.

 

Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan, over medium-high heat, then fry the

meatballs, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly, or bake them in an

oiled casserole dish in a preheated 350°F oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer the meatballs to the tomato sauce and keep hot.

 

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and place the

macaroni in a serving dish. Mix with some of the tomato sauce, then arrange the

meatballs and sauce on top of the pasta, and serve immediately. Pass additional

cheese for sprinkling on top.

 

Note: When forming the meatballs, wet your hands occasionally to prevent the

mixture from sticking.

 

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 552 Calories; 21g Fat (34.2% calories

from fat); 17g Protein; 74g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 68mg Cholesterol;

1122mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 3 1/2

Fat.

 

NOTES : Maccheroni con Polpettine di Melanzane: Here's a nice choice for an

Italian-American vegetarian macaroni and meatball dish that my mother makes. The

meatballs are made using cooked eggplant instead of ground meats. It is

wonderfully surprising how good this taste, and Mom always get rave reviews. Any

short cut of dried pasta such as macaroni, rigatoni, gemelli or ziti would be a

good choice. -mae

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 3394 1326 0 0 1034 0 1506 0

 

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