Smoked eggplant and beef meatballs with olives and baby potatoes
In my childhood, Meatballs were always the ultimate comfort food. At any given point, there was a pot with meatballs in the fridge: with vegetables or dried fruits, beef or chicken meatballs. Always.
In this recipe the eggplant pulp makes the meatballs soft and moist.
2.2 lb ground beef
1 ¼ cup eggplant pulp
1 egg
⅓ cup bread crumbs
¼ tsp. baking powder
¾ cup chopped cilantro, leaves only
¾ cup chopped parsley, leaves only
1 tbsp. Ras El Hanut
4 tbsp. tomato paste
1 big onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and pepper
¼ cup oil
1 ½ tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. cumin
12 baby potatoes, washed and halved
¾ cup olives, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken stalk
In a bowl mix the meat, egg, eggplant, bread crumbs, herbs, garlic, half of the onion, baking powder, Ras el Hanut, salt and pepper. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a wide pot. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the paprika and cumin and fry for 1 more minute.
Add the chicken stalk and tomato paste and bring to a boil.
Form balls from the meat mix and throw into the sauce. Add the olives and potatoes and bring to a boil again.
Cover the pot, lower the heat and cook for an hour.
