19/06/2022
Aubergine ‘Balls’ in Tomato Sauce
My Lovely Italian friend gave me her family recipe- but it contained cheese, egg, breadcrumbs & oil. It sounded amazing but was definitely not whole food plant based (WFPB).
Here is my version & yes, it’s delicious. The linseed replaces the egg & the chick peas replaces the breadcrumbs. I aim to include pulses daily.
Serves 3 - 4
I served this with celeriac & cauliflower mash & salad
2 medium aubergine (eggplant)
1 medium onion
1 can drained chick peas ( keep the liquid - aquafaba)
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbs fresh basil or parsley
2 Tbs nutritional yeast
1 Tb ground linseed combined with 3 Tb water
Freshly ground pepper
Tomato Sauce
1 tomato
1/2 red capsicum
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tsp tamari
2 tsp coconut aminos or date syrup
1/2 tsp dried oregano ( or 2 tsp fresh)
1/2 tsp paprika
1 cup water
Topping
1/4 cup pitted olives- sliced in half
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- [ ] Soak linseed in 3 Tb water and set aside to create a gel - approx 20 min
- [ ] Cut the aubergine into cubes, brush with the aquafaba ( liquid from the chickpeas) and bake in the oven for 30mins, turning them over after 15 minutes
- [ ] Finely dice onion & ‘sweat’ it in a pan ( no oil). Use a gentle heat and if it starts to stick to the pan add 1Tb water
- [ ] Add crushed garlic - cook until both onion & garlic are tender
- [ ] Finely chop parsley / basil
- [ ] Roughly mash the chickpeas & aubergine, add onion, garlic, herbs, nutritional yeast and linseed & pepper. Mix to combine.
- [ ] Shape into balls or patties & bake in the oven 350F 180C for about 20 mins
Tomato Sauce
- [ ] Add the onion to a medium heated pan & allow it to sweat
- [ ] Add garlic & finely diced capsicum - cook for 5 mins adding a little water as required
- [ ] Add tomatoes, herbs, paprika, tamari & coconut aminos ( I used date syrup)
- [ ] Cook for 20mins
- [ ] Add water to make a pouring consistency sauce - like a pasata consistency
- [ ] Heat oven 180C 350 F
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