Lentil and Feta Meatless Balls

This week I have tried two cooking experiments: polenta chips and these lentil and feta meatless balls. The polenta chips experiment was a disaster (I am going to have to have a few more attempts before they become blog ready), but these meatless balls turned out perfectly. They went down very well with both my partner and our six month old daughter who couldn't get enough of hers; we gave her half a ball and ended up having to give her more as she complained when it was all gone (about half in her mouth and half on the floor, I have to admit). The balls are baked and will crisp up on the outside but are still soft on the inside. I stirred them into a tomato sauce to eat with pasta, but you could have them with any sauce you wanted; just be careful not to vigorously over stir into a sauce as they may collapse, or you may want to serve directly on a plate and simply pour a sauce on top of them.

I used tinned lentils to save on time and to avoid any issues with over- or under-cooking the lentils, but you could use dried lentils if you want. If so, just cook until soft but not falling apart, and allow to cool before making the balls. I also omitted adding any additional salt as the feta is salty and I was feeding them to my daughter, but you might want to add a bit of salt to taste.

Serves 4 -
Makes approx 24 large meatless balls, but may be more or less depending on how large you make them

Ingredients:
1 red onion, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 x 400g tinned cooked green lentils
one large carrot, peeled and grated
3 medium eggs, beaten
200g breadcrumbs
150g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp each of dried basil, oregano, parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried mint (optional)
salt (optional, to taste)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/400 degrees F/Gas Mark 6

Instructions:
1. Fry onions, garlic and celery in a generous amount of oil until softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. Drain and wash the tinned lentils. Add to the onions and garlic, along with the breadcrumbs, feta, carrot, and herbs. Stir through.

3. Add the eggs and stir through, ensuring the mixture is thoroughly combined. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set.

4. Remove from fridge and shape into balls, using around a tablespoon of mixture per ball. Make sure you compact the ball together to ensure it holds it's shape. Place on two oiled or lined baking trays, allowing 2 cm or so between balls.

5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until cooked inside and crisp on the outside. You can then eat immediately or add to pasta sauce of your choice.