Veggie 'Meatballs'

Up today is a veggie 'meatball' recipe that uses roasted aubergine instead of meat. Combining classic Italian flavours, these meatballs are fantastic served with a stir in pasta sauce such as Red Pepper & Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce or Tomato Pesto or your favourite pasta sauce.
The following recipe makes two portions of meatballs.

Ingredients

• 2 medium aubergines. Washed, topped, tailed, peeled and roughly chopped into half inch cubes

• ½ teaspoon garlic granules

• Small bunch of fresh parsley finely chopped 

• 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil

• 2 sprays of Fry Light One Cal spray oil.

• 2 x slices of Weightwatchers whole meal bread, blitzed with a hand blender.

• 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled 

• 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

• 15g grated parmesan cheese

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 medium egg, lightly beaten

• 4 sprays of Fry Light One Cal spray oil for frying

Method

1. Turn the oven to 180°C degrees.
2. Line a baking tray with tin foil and add the sprays of spray oil.
3. In a large bowl, combine the aubergines, garlic granules, parsley and oil and stir to combine.
4. Spread the aubergine out on the tray and spread out to form a single layer.
5. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
7. Place the aubergines in a sieve and gently press them with the back of a spoon to remove any excess moisture.
8. Add the drained aubergine to a large mixing bowl and add the breadcrumbs, stock cube, seasonings, parmesan and salt and pepper and egg and and stir to combine for a minute or so. If the mixture if too dry add a splash of low fat milk. If the mixture if too wet, add more breadcrumbs. 
9. To shape the meatballs, I find it's best to wet one hand. Take approximately 1 heaped teaspoon full of the mixture and place it in the palm of your wet hand. Use the fingers of your dry hand to roll the mixture into a ball. Continue with the mixture to make approximately 18-20 meatballs. Wet your hand again a couple of times during the process.
10. I usually store the meatballs on a sheet of tin foil, while preparing the sauce,  but you can make them beforehand and store them in the fridge until your ready. The meatballs will also freeze well at this point.
11. To cook the meatballs, heat a large frying pan on a high heat and add 2 sprays of oil. Add half the meatballs and fry lightly for 5-8 minutes until they are lightly browned.  Turn carefully to ensure all sides are browned. Add the second 2 sprays of oil and fry the second batch of meatballs.
12. Alternatively, you can bake the meatballs in the oven at 180°C for 25 minutes. 
13. Serve with Whole Wheat Pasta and Pasta Sauce or with the stir-in sauces above.