Eggplant (Aubergine) & Olive Truffles (Vegetarian Meatballs - cooking recipe

Ingredients

18 ounces eggplants
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
20 kalamata olives (pitted and chopped)
4 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
8 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 egg, beaten (organic is best)
butter, for greasing

Preparation

preheat oven to 450*F.
cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and brush with olive oil.
roast in the preheated oven for about 30 min, until golden and completely soft.
let cool.
peel off the skin (you can discard this) and chop the rest of the eggplant finely.
reduce oven temp to 400*F.
mix the eggplant, pine nuts, olives, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, egg, and 6tbs of the parmesan cheese together in a bowl.
let rest for 10-15 minutes.
grease a large cookie sheet.
form the mixture into bite sized balls and put on cookie sheet.
top each one with a pinch of the remaining parmesan cheese.
bake for 15-20 min until golden and puffed up.
serve hot.