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Polpette di melanzane
Aubergine fritters with pecorino
Polpette di melanzane: Calabrian aubergine fritters with pecorino and mint
ItalianIn Calabria, from Reggio up to Cosenza, polpette di melanzane are what grandmothers fry in August when the garden is full of aubergines and nobody wants meat. Boiled aubergine is squeezed dry and mixed with stale bread, egg, pecorino, garlic and mint, then shaped into small balls and fried; they are eaten warm as an antipasto or cold the next day in a sandwich. They should be soft and almost creamy inside with a thin golden crust. Pecorino is usually made with animal rennet; a vegetarian hard cheese works. Chef's tip: squeeze the boiled aubergine in a clean tea towel until no more water drips; wet aubergine makes polpette that fall apart in the oil.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the polpette
- 2 medium auberginesabout 700 g, peeled and cubed
- 1 tsp saltplus extra for the water
- 4 oz stale country breadcrusts removed
- 1 egg
- 2 ⅛ oz pecorino or a vegetarian hard cheesegrated
- 1 clove garlicfinely chopped
- 10 mint leavesfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsleychopped
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ¾ oz dried breadcrumbsfor coating
- 2 cups olive or sunflower oilfor frying
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Boil 2 medium aubergines in salted water for 10 minutes, until very soft. Drain and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Squeeze the aubergine hard in a clean tea towel to get rid of as much water as you can. It should end up as a dry, fibrous pulp.
Step 3: Soak 4 oz stale country bread in water for 2 minutes, then squeeze it dry. Crumble it into a bowl with the aubergine, 1 egg, 2 ⅛ oz pecorino or a vegetarian hard cheese, 1 clove garlic, 10 mint leaves, 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix with your hands until it holds together like soft dough.
2 minStep 4: Shape into balls the size of a walnut and roll them in 1 ¾ oz dried breadcrumbs. If the mixture is too wet to hold, add a spoonful of breadcrumbs to it rather than more egg. Common mistake: making them too big; large polpette brown outside before the middle has heated through.
Step 5: Heat 2 cups olive or sunflower oil in a frying pan to about 350°F, or until a breadcrumb sizzles straight away.
5 minStep 6: Fry the polpette in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden all over. Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm or at room temperature.
12 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does polpette di melanzane take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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