Couscous with Eggplant Meatballs in Sauce

Name: Couscous with Eggplant Meatballs in Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Eggplant 2; Breadcrumbs ¾ cup; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz; Eggs 1; Garlic 1 clove; Parsley to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Tomato purée 1.67 cups; Onions 1; Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Basil to taste; Couscous 1.1 cups; Vegetable broth 1 ¼ cup; Saffron 1 bag; Fine salt to taste; Basil to taste

Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Low
Note + couscous resting time (5 minutes)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau

Couscous with eggplant meatballs in sauce is a unique dish with intense flavors and Mediterranean aromas. It is a perfect recipe for when you crave something delicious yet wholesome. A meeting of Middle Eastern cuisine and Italian tradition, combining the exotic with the comfort of home cooking. The meatballs are made with eggplants sautéed and well browned, which, once dipped in the tomato sauce, absorb all the flavor of the sauce and become even softer and juicier. The couscous is prepared with saffron and vegetable broth, becoming colorful and fragrant. It is ideal for a family lunch or a dinner with friends and will win over even the most skeptical and traditionalist. If you've never tried couscous with eggplant meatballs in sauce, now is the time to do it!

If you love couscous, you can't miss these recipes:

Vegetable Couscous
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Couscous with Peas and Shrimp
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Moroccan Couscous

INGREDIENTS

For the Eggplant Meatballs: Eggplant 2; Breadcrumbs ¾ cup (100 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1.8 oz (50 g); Eggs 1; Garlic 1 clove; Parsley to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

For the Tomato Sauce: Tomato purée 1.67 cups (400 g); Onions 1; Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Basil to taste

For the Couscous: Couscous 1.1 cups (200 g); Vegetable broth 1 ¼ cup (300 g); Saffron 1 bag; Fine salt to taste

To Complete: Basil to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Couscous with Eggplant Meatballs in Sauce

To prepare couscous with eggplant meatballs in sauce, first prepare the vegetable broth following our recipe. Remove the stem from the eggplants 1 and cut them first into slices and then into cubes 2. In a pan, pour the oil and cook the eggplants 3, a little at a time, on high heat until they are well browned.

Transfer them from time to time to absorbent paper 4 to remove excess oil, and let them cool slightly. Place them in a bowl and add the breadcrumbs 5 and parmesan cheese 6.

Add the egg 7, season with salt 8 and pepper 9.

Add the minced garlic 10 and chopped parsley 11 and mix until you get a homogeneous mixture 12.

Then shape the meatballs 13 and set aside 14. In a pan, pour the oil, add the garlic and chopped onion 15 and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes, until the onion is golden.

Add the tomato sauce 16, a few basil leaves, and cook slowly for 10-15 minutes. Remove the garlic 17 and add the meatballs 18.

Cook for another 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally 19. In a bowl, put the couscous, season with salt 20, and add the saffron 21.

Cover with the broth 22, seal with plastic wrap 23 or a lid, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Once the time has passed, fluff the couscous with a fork 24.

Serve 25 and complete with a few basil leaves 26. The couscous with eggplant meatballs in sauce is ready to be served 27.

Storage

Couscous with eggplant meatballs in sauce can be stored in the refrigerator, in a closed container, for up to 2 days.

Tip

For a bolder touch, you can add a pinch of smoked paprika, cumin, or curry to the sauce, playing with spices based on your taste and the inspiration of the moment. For a more rustic version or with more fiber, you can replace classic couscous with whole wheat, spelt, or even corn and rice couscous for a gluten-free dish.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.