Mediterranean Eggplant Meatball Pita Pockets

This recipe is actually a reimagining of my Eggplant and White Bean Meatballs recipe that I had previously posted a few years back. The original recipe has been a family favorite and is often in our standard dinner rotation. The way that I would most often serve the meatballs is with a side of rice and some marinara sauce for dipping. To change things ups bit, I decided to add a Mediterranean flare. Because one of the main ingredients in my eggplant meatballs is white beans, they have a similar taste and texture to falafel. This got me to thinking that the meatballs would really work well with some Mediterranean flavors. Right away, a zesty tomato-cucumber salad, some fresh mint and feta cheese came to mind.

Another update that I made to my meatball recipe was to do the initial eggplant prep process in the oven. My original recipe would have you preparing the eggplant on the stove top with shallots and some seasoning in olive oil and warm water. While this method does work well, I find that I now prefer to season the fresh chopped eggplant, toss it with some olive oil and bake it. This method adds a bit more flavor to the eggplant and is also more of a hands-free method.

As far as the tomato-cucumber salad recipe goes, the seasoning and measurements are pretty much up to you, depending on how much you prefer to prepare. For my family, I use a half of an English cucumber and a half pint of cherry tomatoes, seasoned with onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Tossed with some fresh chopped mint, some crumbled feta, and some olive oil and a tiny splash of balsamic. This is really a salad that you can make and adjust to your liking!

Serving this new version of my recipe is very easy. You simply stuff a pita pocket (a tortilla wrap will also work well) with some of the tomato-cucumber salad, then add two to three eggplant meatballs (again to your preference). I also suggest adding a bit of a creamy dressing for additional taste, such as a creamy horseradish aioli, lemon aioli or tzatziki. What you will end up with is a pita loaded with all kinds of goodness and a multitude of flavor profiles. The fresh crunch of the seasoned tomatoes and cucumbers combined with fresh mint. The slight punch of the balsamic splash. The savory and flavorful meatballs. The zip of the additional creamy topping. All held together by a nice, firm pita pocket. And the ingredients are all on the healthy side!

Mediterranean Eggplant Meatball Pita Pockets

For the Tomato-Cucumber Salad
My preference for the salad is 1/2 of an English cucumber diced, 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes halved, tossed with a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Seasoned to taste with salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, and chopped fresh mint. Tossed with crumbled feta or goat cheese. This is a very versatile salad, so you can adjust the amount and ingredients to your liking!

For the Meatballs
Makes approximately 12-15 meatballs

1 large eggplant, skin removed, cut into 1″ pieces
1 tspn garlic powder
1 tspn dried oregano
2 tbspn olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tbspn fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tbspn mint, finely chopped (you can use 2 tbspn basil if you do not have mint on hand)
1/2 cup canned canellini or garbanzo beans, rinsed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375˚. Stir together the eggplant pieces, olive oil, garlic powder, oregano and a dash of salt and pepper until all eggplant pieces are coated. Bake the seasoned eggplant in a baking dish for 30 minutes. Remove eggplant from the oven, set aside to let cool.

When cooled, place eggplant in a food processor with remaining ingredients. Pulse until well mixed, but not puréed. You can mix by hand if you do not have a food processor, but the meatballs will have a chunkier consistency. Shape the mixture into small balls as you would with traditional meatballs. Placed the meatballs onto a lightly sprayed baking sheet. Lightly spray the meatballs. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 375˚, until they are browned and no longer soft to the touch.

For the Assembly
To enjoy this meal, simply stuff a pita pocket, a tortilla wrap or any other sandwich wrap that you prefer with the mixed salad, two to three meatballs, and for an extra optional kick a drizzle of a creamy horseradish aioli, lemon aioli or tzatziki. Grab yourself a few napkins and enjoy!

Tomato, Basil and Ricotta Salata

Recently, I shared with you my recipe for game-day empanadas, and one of the fillings that I decided to use in my empanadas was ricotta salata. Up until this point, I had not really been all that familiar with this particular cheese. Ever since, it has become a staple in our house. For those of you who are still not familiar with this flavorful gem, it is an Italian cheese made from whey that is re-cooked (ricotta), and has been pressed, salted (salata) and aged for at least 90 days. The end result is a beautiful, milky white cheese with a slight nutty flavor, that is perfect for slicing, shredding or crumbling. Texture-wise, it is more like a feta than a traditional soft ricotta, with a taste that packs a delightful punch. It is also a very reasonably priced cheese, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

While my wife and I were perfectly content with simply enjoying slices of this cheese drizzled with a little balsamic, the wheels in my mind quickly started spinning on how to incorporate it into recipes. The first, and most obvious recipe that came to mind was the classic Caprese Salad, which of course is simply made up of fresh sliced mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil and herbs. My thought was that not only would the texture of the cheese hold up well with the tomatoes and fresh basil, but also that the lively flavors would not require any additional seasonings. My hunch was correct. The in-your-face, vibrant flavor marries perfectly with the sweetness of fresh chopped basil, swirled together with a splash of rich, golden olive oil. The crumbly, chunky texture plays well with chunks of juicy tomato. Traditional Carpese Salad may be one of my all time favorites, but the ricotta salata version is definitely a nice and inviting alternative.

Tomato, Basil and Ricotta Salata

This is a very simple recipe. Measurements can be adjusted to your preferred serving size.

one chunk of ricotta salata
1-2 roma tomatoes
fresh chopped basil
Extra virgin olive oil

Chop the cheese and tomatoes into slices or cubes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve and enjoy!

Pancetta and Beans with Spinach

With the cold winter weather rolling in, now’s the time to start planning some good, old fashioned, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meals. The dish that I’m sharing with you today is one of my all time favorites. The simple, yet classic ingredients make for a wonderfully tasty and hearty comfort dish. Old-school Italian soul food at its best!

Pancetta and Beans with Spinach

4 oz pancetta, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 14.5 oz stewed tomatoes, drained
1 15 oz can cannellini or garbanzo beans (I use a mixture of both)
1 bag spinach
olive oil (if needed)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth (if needed)
salt and pepper

Sauté pancetta in a large pan over medium heat until crispy and fat is rendered, about 7-10 minutes. Remove pancetta and set aside.

Add onion to rendered fat in the pan, sauté until soft and translucent (you can add some olive oil if needed). Add tomatoes and beans, stir together, cook until heated.

Add the spinach, stir together. You can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chick broth if needed, to help cook down the spinach.

Once the spinach is cooked down, add the pancetta back to the pan. Stir together, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve and enjoy with a loaf of crispy Italian bread!

Mini Caprese Wonton Bites

I have been using wonton and egg roll wrappers for many of my quick appetizer recipes for a few years now. I’ve stuffed them with everything from meatballs and cheese steak to buffalo chicken and vegetables. While the end result is always a crowd pleaser, I will admit that the actual stuffing and prepping phase could be a bit tedious. It’s not complicated, but rather monotonous to spoon, fold/roll, seal and repeat.

This past weekend I found the sure-fire method for stuffing and baking wonton wrappers, which involves very little time, yet still produces an amazing snack. By using a mini muffin tray, you are able to set up, fill and seal the wrappers quickly and efficiently. For my first attempt at the mini-muffin tray method, I used the classic caprese pizza ingredients: fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, each sliced into small pieces. After lining up the muffin tin with a wrapper in each cup, I placed a piece of mozzarella, tomato and basil in each, then folded the wrappers over, slightly pressing down on them to seal them shut. After a quick hit of cooking spray and 10 minutes in the oven, my family and I were treated to some great tasting home made appetizers.

The filling combinations for this method are endless…and I plan on experimenting and sharing the results with you along the way. Definitely be sure to give this trick a try for your next round of party appetizers. They’ll be a thousand times better than the usual store-bought frozen variety, and you’ll be sure to impress your guests. This is also a great recipe to get the kids involved with…especially with the stuffing and folding of the wrappers!

The basic ingredients: mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and wonton wrappers.

Step 1: Line a mini muffin tin with 24 wonton wrappers, one wrapper in each cup.

Step 2: Fill each cup with a piece of mozzarella, tomato and basil.

Step 3: Fold the wrappers closed. Spray with cooking spray and place in 400˚ oven for 10 minutes, or until brown and crispy.

Remove from pan, serve and enjoy!

Bet you can’t just have one!