Eggplant & Zuchinni Bites with Tomato Sauce
Photography by Elisa Watson for Nourish Magazine 2014.
This is a recipe which I contributed to Nourish Magazine for their Mar/April 2014 Easter Special issue. These are an absolutely perfect vegetarian canapé, snack on the go and are also a great lunch box filler. They are quick to make, they are extremely easy and are just bursting with flavour. If you're ever wondering what to give people as a little entree or just as a snack to have along with drinks, I suggest you give this a go as from the first time you make them, you will be hooked! For the rest of the Easter recipes I contributed (all of which are gluten free, vegetarian and sugar free) check out the edition of Nourish Magazine available at Coles, Woolworths and news agencies across Australia. Nourish is also available for download on the iTunes newsstand!
Ingredients
For the bites
1 medium eggplant
1 medium zucchini
12 baby bocconcis
3 tbsp parmesan
4 slices gluten free bread
zest of 1 lemon
pinch salt
pinch cracked pepper
1 egg
For the sauce
1 tin of tomatoes
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 tsp stevia
1 red chilli
2 tbsp tom paste
Method
Preheat an oven to 180 degrees.Blitz the zucchini and the eggplant in a food processor. Move mixture into a bowl and add the chopped bocconicis, parmesan, salt, pepper and the egg. Mix together.
Add the bread into the now empty food processor and blitz into bread crumbs.
Remove the breadcrumbs and add them into the zucchini/eggplant mixture and then once combined roll a tablespoon of the mixture at a time into balls and place on a lined baking tray.
Cook for 20-30 minutes until golden.
For the sauce; in a medium saucepan add in the rice bran oil, chopped brown onion, 2 cloves of garlic (crushed) and chilli. Cook until onions are translucent.
Add in the tomato paste, tin of tomatoes and stevia and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and let gently simmer for 20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Remove balls from the oven and serve with the tomato relish.