Meatless "Meat" Balls, Pasta e Fagioli, Dos Tapes de Catalunya

 No Meat Balls
All the texture of a meat ball for pita sandwiches, hors d'oeuvre trays, timbales, anywhere you would serve a conventional meatball.    Recipe makes 30-45 balls depending on size of the balls and the size of the eggplant you start with.  

1-1/2+ lb Eggplant, cubed, skin on
4-6 cloves Garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups Panko plus more
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chopped Parsley
1/2 cup chopped Basil
1+ Tbsp Cavender's Greek Seasoning
1 Egg, beaten

Saute the garlic in a large skillet for a minute, then add the eggplant, Cavender's and 1/4 cup of water and cook the cubed eggplant 8-10 minutes until just softening.  Remove to a colander, drain for at least half an hour, and reserve.

Transfer the eggplant and everything else to your food processor and pulse.  Leave some texture, don't totally puree things.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add additional panko to make a maxture that will form golf-ball sized balls rolled between your palms then placed on a parchment covered baking sheet.  Bake at 400F for 35-45 minutes until browned and crusty.  Cool of a rack.

Serve with toothpicks as a main course or hors d'oeuvre with a marinara or tzatziki type dipping sauce, Or make sandwiches using pitas or hoagie rolls and toppings of your choice.   I served ours with home-made tzatziki, Lizanotm, and Sweet Chile Sauce

You could even add these "no meataballs to spaghetti with sauce.

Pasta e Fagioli
Pronounced "pasta fajool", this classic Italian recipe features both shaped pasta (shells, rotini, etc.) and beans in a flavorful broth.  I use a mixture of bean varieties. 

1/2+ cup chopped Carrot
1/2+ cup Chopped Celery
1/2+ cup chopped Onion
2-3 cloves Garlic
6 cups Broth
1-2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning of your choice; we like one with red pepper flakes in it.
3/4 cup Pomitm Tomato Puree, and additional chopped tomatoes if desired
2+ cups dry Beans -- lima, cannellini, Navy, even pinto, etc.  (never red or black beans) 
8 oz shaped Pasta --  I used Banzatm Rotini

Saute the three veg with the garlic in a splash of EVOO.  Add the broth, seasoning. tomato and beans, bring to a boil, and then simmer 20-30 minutes. 

When the beans are al dente, add the pasta and continue cooking until it is al dente and the beans are done.  

Tapes de Catalunya
Catalonia is the major economic region of Spain, and has its own language -- Catalan -- which seems part French, part Spanish, and all Romance language.  Tapas (or tapes in Catalan) are ubiquitous regional 'small plate' dishes.  At a Tapas restaurant a couple would choose as many as 6 different tapas to share.  Here, two Tape become a vegetarian meal.

Tapes #1   Mongetes
Simple really -- fried white beans.  What makes them special is the Spanish (not Latin) salsa verde (see below) with which they are cooked.

1/2 lb dry White Beans
1-2 tsp Thyme

Cooke the beans with the thyme, according to package directions.  Don't stir much, to keep the skins intact.  Don't over cook, you want them just tender, not mushy.  Dry the cooked beans very well on paper towels.

While the beans are cooking, 

Make the Salsa Verde:
3/4 cup chopped Parsley
3-5 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/3 cup EVOO
pinch of Salt
Optional:  6-10 Croutons (depending on size)

Take the ingredients for a spin in your food processor, adding a bit more EVOO if needed to give this the consistency of a pesto.

To Make The Mongetes
In a large skillet add a good glug of EVOO and get it not quite smoking hot.  

Carefully (so they don't splash) add the beans in a single layer and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisping and starting to brown.  Add 3-4 Tbsp of the Salsa Verde and cook to combine the beans and salsa.   Some recipes call for adding crushed croutons at this point to absorb excess liquid.  In Catalonia mongetes are often paired with sausage in a dish called Mongetes amb Botifarra.

Tapes #2   Espinac de Catalunya
This spinach recipe by world-famous Catalan  chef Jose Andres, founder of World Central Kitchen, exemplifies his sweet & savory approach to small plate dining.

3 Tbsp Raisins
1 lb Spinach, stemmed, washed, dried and rough chopped
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 medium Onion, diced small
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3 Tbsp Pine Nuts, toasted (no pine nuts?  You can substitute chopped unsalted cashew pieces)
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Soak the raisins in water for 20-30 minutes. 

Blanch the spinach in boiling water 2-3 minutes.  Drain and squeeze out excess water.

Saute the onion in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes until translucent.

Add the garlic and cook for about 3 more minutes.

Add the spinach, raisins and nuts.  Salt &  pepper to taste.

Serve hot or at room temperature.  Top each serving with a spoonful or two of remaining salsa verde.