The old fashioned Italian eggplant balls. If you like eggplants, this is amazing recipe for you!!!
It’s a good way to avoid wasting food.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
SERVING: 40 eggplants balls
INGREDIENTS:
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) eggplant (aubergine), cut into 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ in) cubes
- 100 g (3½ oz) moist breadcrumbs from day-old bread
- ½ cup (/2¾ oz) pine nuts
- 30 g (1 oz) Grana Padano, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 2 small red chillies, minced
- 2 eggs, whisked
- extra virgin olive oil
- ⅔ cup (2¾ oz) fine dry breadcrumbs
- tomato passata
METHOD:
Bring 70 fl oz water and 1 tablespoon salt to the boil in a large saucepan.
Add the eggplant and boil for about 10 minutes, uncovered, until soft, pushing it under the water repeatedly with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Drain, cool and press with a spoon to remove any excess liquid.
Chop and put in a bowl with the moist breadcrumbs, pine nuts, Grana Padano, garlic, chillies, eggs and parsley. Blend gently using a fork. Season.
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan until hot and fry a tablespoon of the mixture to check for seasoning.
Roll the mixture into 2.5 cm (1 in) balls and put on a tray.
If the mixture is too wet to roll easily, add more fresh breadcrumbs.
Roll each ball in the dry breadcrumbs to coat evenly.
Pour oil into a wide frying pan to a depth of 1 cm (½ in).
Turn the heat to medium and when the oil begins to shimmer put a ball in.
If it begins to sizzle immediately, the oil is ready.
Fry the balls until browned all over.
Drain on paper towels. Cool for 10 minutes, then serve with tomato passata.
Your eggplant balls can now be enjoyed!
1 Comment
Nancy
12/24/2020 at 9:40 amThese look delicious. Do you think you could bake them? Would be so much healthier for me. Maybe spray with oil and bake? Thanks.