Baked Pumpkin Meatballs

Baked pumpkin meatballs are a delicious and light dish, perfect for those who want to enjoy pumpkin in a different way than usual. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 500 g pumpkin (already cleaned and peeled)
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 50 g grated parmesan
• 1 egg
• Chopped parsley (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Nutmeg (a pinch, optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Cut the pumpkin into pieces and bake or boil it until soft. You can also steam it to preserve all its nutrients.
3. Once cooked, mash the pumpkin with a fork or pass it through a potato ricer to obtain a puree.
4. In a large bowl, place the pumpkin puree and add the egg, breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. If it is too wet, you can add a little breadcrumbs until you reach the desired consistency.
5. With wet hands, form balls of the desired size and then flatten them slightly to give them the shape of meatballs.
6. Arrange the meatballs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and drizzle with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
7. Bake the meatballs for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and crispy on the surface.
8. Serve the baked pumpkin meatballs hot.

Fun Facts

Baked pumpkin meatballs can also be customized in different ways: you can add aromatic herbs to the mixture as desired, such as chopped sage which pairs very well with pumpkin, or you can add some diced cheese inside each meatball for a stringy center. Another variation can be the addition of sautéed onion or garlic for a more intense flavor.