Lamb and Eggplant Meatball Pita Sandwiches Recipe

Eggplant always seems to have a love-it-or-hate-it audience. But "even people who claim they don't like eggplant love these easy meatballs," says Christine Datian. You can use a small ice cream scoop to shape them quickly. PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour.

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 pounds ground lean lamb or beef

1 1/2 cups finely chopped eggplant (about 4 oz.)

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup minced parsley

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried basil

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cups purchased marinara sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

6 pocket breads (5 in. wide), cut in half

Bell pepper rings (optional)

Step 1

In a large bowl, mix the egg, lamb, eggplant, onion, parsley, pine nuts, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls and place them 1 inch apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan.

Step 2

Bake meatballs in a 425° oven until they are well browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

Step 3

Spoon out and discard any fat from pan. Stir in the marinara sauce and Worcestershire, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan and turning meatballs to coat. Bake until sauce is steaming, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Step 4

Spoon meatballs into a bowl and scrape sauce over them. Spoon meatballs and sauce into pocket breads and tuck in bell pepper rings if desired.

Nutrition Facts

0 servings

Serving size

Amount per serving
Calories477

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16g21%

Saturated Fat 4.6g23%
Cholesterol 113mg38%
Sodium 1433mg63%
Total Carbohydrate 50g19%

Dietary Fiber 3.4g13%
Protein 34g

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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Lamb and Eggplant Meatball Pita Sandwiches