• 4 cups cubed eggplant fruit with peel (or without, your choice)

• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt

• 1/4 cup chopped onion

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1 cup bread crumbs

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• vegetable oil

Cooking Instruction:

In an appropriate sized skillet, sauté the minced garlic in the olive oil over a medium heat until lightly browned. Carefully pour in about one inch of water into the skillet, reduce the temperature to low, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the cubed eggplant, cover and allow the eggplant to steam until it becomes soft. This usually takes 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, discard the water, place the eggplant into a large mixing bowl, and allow to cool until you can touch it.

Chop the cooked eggplant and to it add the onions, parsley, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, paprika, cheese, pepper and the remaining salt, along with one of the eggs, and thoroughly mix. Hands work best. Refrigerate this mixture for several hours until it firms up.

Beat the remaining egg. It is at this point you can either choose to make patties or balls (see below). Either way, using your hands, form into the desired shape, then dip them into the egg and coat with the remaining bread crumbs.

Fry in hot oil until brown. Can be served "Italian-style" with your favorite pasta and marinara sauce, Swedish-style, or even formed into patties prior to frying and used as a meatless hamburger patty. They also can be frozen and reheated.

Makes about 6 servings