- 6
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained
- 1 small sweet red pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 small zucchini, ends trimmed and coarsely chopped
- 1 small carrot, scraped and chopped
- 1 leek (white part) cut into rings
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons Filippo Berio olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
- Fine sea salt to taste
- Canola Oil for Frying
Preparation
Step 1
Directions
Add the pepper, zucchini, carrot, leek and garlic to the food processor and pulse until the mixture looks minced. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and stir in the minced vegetables; cook until softened. Cool about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetables o the bowl with the chickpeas. Add one egg and mix well. With wet hands form 1 inch balls. Set aside.
Beat the remaining two eggs in a shallow bowl and place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.
Coat each ball in egg then in bread crumbs and place on a dish. When all the balls are coated, heat 4 cups of oil in a heavy duty pot or a deep fryer to 375°F.
When you mince the veggies in the food processor, there is a a great deal of liquid released. There should a step of squeezing the veggies in paper towels. Just squeezing against the side of the bowl released 2/3 cup of juice and the mixture was still too soft. I also made more of a pattie shape and dredged them in a little flour before the egg and breadcrumbs. Make sure to add enough salt and pepper. They are tasty and worth making.
I'd like to make these meatballs without frying. Thought I try to bake them - - any suggestions on temp & duration? Any help would be appreciated. (due to health reason, my challenge is to cook Italian food without bread, pasta or frying!)........... any comments welcome.
Whole Wheat Penne with Meat Sauce
JUST LIKE GRANDMA USED TO MAKE, BRAVO!!!!