Eggplant meatballs

Ingredients

• 1kg minced meat (I use chicken, or sometimes half-chicken-half-beef)
• 1 Eggplant
• A bundle of celery leaves
• A bundle of basil leaves
• A bundle of parsley
• Cumin
• Bay leaves
• Dry thyme
• Tomato pasata
• Breadcrumbs or a potato (grated and squeezed dry).
• Optionally: Carrots, Potatoes

Process

For the meat

1. Roast the Eggplant on open fire until it is scorched through. Cut it open, remove the seeds and most of the peel, and mix in a bowl with the minced meat.
2. Chop the herbs finely. Add a handful and a half each basil and celery, and half a handful parsley into the bowl. Reserve the rest
3. Mix in cumin and salt, and the breading of your choice.
4. mix thoroughly, trying to work the meat as little as possible.

For the sauce

1. Into a pot add the rest of the herbs, as well as the stalks from the celery.
2. Chop the carrots to your liking and add to the pot.
3. Add cumin, thyme, bay leaves and salt.
4. Add olive oil and fry for a minute or two.
5. Add the pasata, and that same volume in water. Mix and wait until the sauce boils.
6. Create walnut-sized balls from the meat, and add them into the sauce. It's okay to crowed them, but be gentle when pushing them aside!
7. Cook for an hour. Serve with rice, couscous, or soft bread.