When correctly cooked, eggplant delivers a savory punch that may truly compete with meat. Don’t imagine us? Attempt these scrumptious Calabrian eggplant meatballs and we wager you gained’t end up lacking the pork or beef. This conventional recipe is vegetarian however is certain to fulfill even essentially the most carnivorous meat lovers on the market.
Polpette di Melanzane | Genuine Italian Eggplant “Meatball” Recipe
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POLPETTE DI MELANZANE RECIPE
Makes: About 15 polpette
Prepare dinner Time: 45 minutes
For this recipe, you’ll need:
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Salt
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About 26 ounces (750 g) eggplant, minimize into ½ inch (1.25 cm) cubes
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1.75 ounces (50 g) grated pecorino cheese, or to style
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1.75 ounces (50 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or to style
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2 giant eggs
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1 clove garlic, diced
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About 1 tablespoon contemporary parsley, chopped
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Contemporary black pepper
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About 1 cup (100 g) contemporary bread crumbs, plus additional for breading, adjusted to style
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Vegetable oil for frying
Carry a big pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. Add the cubed eggplant and boil for about 10 minutes, or till the eggplant could be very tender. Drain and let cool to the contact.
Squeeze the surplus water out of the eggplant and place it in a big mixing bowl. Add the cheeses, eggs, garlic, parsley, loads of black pepper, and an enormous pinch of salt. Add about half of the bread crumbs and start mixing the elements by hand.
Proceed so as to add extra bread crumbs till the combination is gentle and moldable, however not too moist or sticky. Take a look at the video above to see what the feel ought to seem like! The quantity of breadcrumbs wanted will fluctuate, so belief your instincts.
Fill a deep pan with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of vegetable oil and warmth over medium/excessive. In the meantime, kind the meatball combination into about 15 polpette. They need to be fashioned into flattened pucks, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Mud the polpette in bread crumbs.
Drop a breadcrumb into the oil to check the temperature. If it begins to bubble and fry instantly, the oil is scorching sufficient. Working in batches, rigorously drop the eggplant polpette into the pan. Flip them steadily with a few forks and fry till browned on each side—about 4 to five minutes in complete. Take away to a paper towel to empty.
Serve the polpette heat and contemporary. Buon appetito!
Wish to examine these to conventional Italian meatballs? Give our genuine recipe a shot! In search of extra eggplant recipes? You’ll be able to’t go mistaken with a Caponata di Melanzane!
