Aunt Mary s Eggplant Balls

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups cubed eggplant, with peel

1 tablespoon water

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs, beaten

¾ cup dried bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour in olive oil and saute garlic just until lightly browned. Mix in eggplant and water. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet. Allow eggplant to steam until soft, about 20 minutes. Place eggplant in a large bowl and allow to cool slightly.

Mix cheese, parsley, eggs, and bread crumbs into eggplant. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until ingredients are thoroughly combined and mixture can be rolled into balls. Add more bread crumbs as needed to make mixture workable. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes, then roll into balls or form into patties.

Place eggplant balls on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.