Passover Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Meatballs

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I make vegetarian sweet and sour meatballs regularly, but they contain a number of ingredients that cannot be used for Pesach, specifically, wheat germ, bread crumbs, and gingersnaps. My friend, Faith, has two grandchildren who are vegetarians. She recently asked me if I would be able to make my vegetarian meatballs for their family Passover seder, so I needed to modify the recipe. I thought the results turned out rather well, tasty, and looking remarkably like the real thing.

Passover Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 12 oz. baby bella (or portabello) mushrooms, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup whole wheat matzoh meal
• 12 oz. chopped walnuts
• 4 large raw eggs, lightly beaten

Sauce

• 2 24-oz. jars marinara sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. sour salt
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 can cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup water

Sauté mushrooms and half of the onions in olive oil until liquid has cooked out and the mixture just begins to brown.

Stir in the other half of the chopped raw onions and the rest of the meatball ingredients.  Refrigerate mixture for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, place sauce ingredients into a large saucepan on medium high heat and stir as it heats, breaking up cranberry sauce until it has dissolved into the sauce.

Form small meatballs (I use a 1-1/2-inch ice cream scoop to portion) using wet hands and drop into simmering sauce.

Keep at a simmer for one hour, covering for the last 15 minutes.

These can be kept refrigerated for a few days, or can be frozen.

Makes about 6 dozen small balls.