Eggplant Balls and Pappardelle Pasta
Meatless eggplant meatballs, filled with Parmesan cheese and herbs. Served with marinara sauce, pappardelle, and burrata.
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic
- 8 cups peeled and diced eggplant
- 1 tbsp. each minced oregano and thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp. chopped basil
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1½ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
- 2 large beaten eggs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 12 ounces pappardelle pasta
- 4 balls burrata cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup basil leaves
For the Marinara Sauce:
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic
- 28 ounces canned plum tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
Instructions
- Begin by making the Eggplant Balls: In a large skillet heat the olive oil on low heat and cook the garlic for a few minutes until it's softened.
- Raise the heat to medium, and add the eggplant. Cook it until it's very soft, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.
- Place the cooked eggplant in a large bowl along with the herbs, one cup of the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, eggs, and Parmesan cheese. Cover and refrigerate for thirty minutes.
- While the eggplant firms up, boil the water for your pasta and make the sauce: In a Dutch oven, heat the oil , and on low heat, cook the onion until it's soft. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for thirty minutes.
- When the eggplant is done chilling, heat a half inch of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet. Form the eggplant mixture into one and a half inch balls and roll each one in the other cup of breadcrumbs. The oil is hot enough, when a small eggplant cube sizzles immediately when placed in the oil. Fry the balls in a few batches for about six minutes for each batch. Fry each ball on all sides. Drain them on a wire rack over a pan.
- While the balls fry, boil your pappardelle.
- Serve the balls on top of the pappardelle with some sauce, some basil, and some burrata.
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