These fiber-filled balls are made from—you guessed it—actual veggies and lentils, flavored with Mediterranean spices like garlic, basil, and parsley. Toss these bites into pasta, salads, over cooked basmati rice or as a fun appetizer to feed a crowd!
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 more tablespoons
1 large egg
salt, to taste
1 eggplant
2/3 cup cooked lentils
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup roughly chopped basil
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
1/3 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup oil (for frying)
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer to a rimmed sheet pan and spread in an even layer. Bake until the breadcrumbs are lightly golden (10 minutes or so), stirring midway through. Transfer them to a large plate and set aside.
Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
Line the sheet pan with aluminum foil and set the eggplant on top. Prick it 3 to 4 times with a fork and roast until a pairing knife easily slips into the center (40 to 50 minutes). It should be very tender throughout. Remove the eggplant from the oven and use scissors to cut an X in the bottom. Transfer it, stem side up, to a colander and set in the sink and let it drain and cool for 20 minutes.
Set the eggplant on a cutting board and slice it open lengthwise and scoop out the flesh and place it in the bowl of a food processor Add the egg, lentils, garlic, basil, parsley, and chickpea flour and ¾ teaspoon of salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Process for 12 one-second pulses to combine. Add the bread crumbs and pulse 2 to 3 times to combine.
Scrape the mixture in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap flush against the surface, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or overnight.
Shape the eggplant mixture into golf ball-size pieces and roll them until they are nice and round.
Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Drop one of the balls into the oil, it should immediately sizzle—if not, let the oil heat some more. Add a few more balls to the oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches, browning them on all sides (3 to 5 minutes for each batch).
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve immediately or once cooled, freeze balls on a large tray for one hour, then transfer to 1 cup containers to freeze for later. Reheat from frozen in a medium-heated oven.
Source: The Mediterranean Dish
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