Eggplant meatballs
Today I present to you the aubergine bites! Small and delicious morsels to be enjoyed one after the other, with their inviting mix of softness and crunchiness, they are perfect served as a vegetarian alternative to classic meatballs, with which they are equally good. Many regions of Italy claim their origin, but one thing is certain: aubergine bites are a recipe from Southern Italy, where the most tender and sweet vegetables are harvested in summer! Follow my recipe and prepare these delicious finger foods, perfect for enriching your buffet or for an aperitif with friends: you'll have fun eating them with your fingers and finishing them all in one bite!
INGREDIENTS
1 kg aubergine300 g dry breadparsley2 eggs30 g pecorino cheese30 g Parmesan cheese1 sprig of basil (leaves)floursaltPepperoil for frying
METHOD
To prepare the eggplant meatballs, first wash them and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, then bake them in a preheated static oven at 200°C for 1 hour. Once cooked, let the aubergines cool down. Place the pulp in a colander and mash them lightly with a fork in order to remove excess liquid. Transfer the aubergine puree into a clean glass bowl, add the egg and add a clove of garlic previously crushed. At this point, pour in both the breadcrumbs and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Finely chop the previously washed parsley and fold it into the mixture. Knead everything with your hands until the ingredients are combined. If the dough is not very compact, you can add a little more breadcrumbs. Once the dough is ready, take a small portion and, again with your hands, form round meatballs, the size of a walnut, which you will dip in breadcrumbs. Once all the mixture is finished, pour the oil into a pan and heat it until it reaches a temperature of 170°C (use a kitchen thermometer to measure the exact temperature). When the oil is hot, dip a few pieces at a time and wait 2-3 minutes, until golden brown, before draining them and place them on a tray lined with kitchen paper, which will absorb excess oil. Serve your eggplant meatballs still hot and steaming.
PRESERVATIONI recommend consuming the eggplant meatballs as soon as they are ready, but if you wish you can store them in the refrigerator, closed in an airtight container for a couple of days at most. You can freeze the raw eggplant meatballs and then cook them as needed.
ADVICEIf you want to avoid frying, you can also bake the meatballs in the oven: they will not maintain a perfectly round shape but they will be delicious and a little lighter. In this case you can try at 200°C for 15-20 minutes. To better adjust, we suggest you cook a few meatballs as before baked to adjust the ideal time and temperature for your oven!
Today I present to you the aubergine bites! Small and delicious morsels to be enjoyed one after the other, with their inviting mix of softness and crunchiness, they are perfect served as a vegetarian alternative to classic meatballs, with which they are equally good. Many regions of Italy claim their origin, but one thing is certain: aubergine bites are a recipe from Southern Italy, where the most tender and sweet vegetables are harvested in summer! Follow my recipe and prepare these delicious finger foods, perfect for enriching your buffet or for an aperitif with friends: you'll have fun eating them with your fingers and finishing them all in one bite!
INGREDIENTS
1 kg aubergine
300 g dry bread
parsley
2 eggs
30 g pecorino cheese
30 g Parmesan cheese
1 sprig of basil (leaves)
flour
salt
Pepper
oil for frying
METHOD
To prepare the eggplant meatballs, first wash them and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, then bake them in a preheated static oven at 200°C for 1 hour. Once cooked, let the aubergines cool down. Place the pulp in a colander and mash them lightly with a fork in order to remove excess liquid. Transfer the aubergine puree into a clean glass bowl, add the egg and add a clove of garlic previously crushed. At this point, pour in both the breadcrumbs and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and season with salt and pepper. Finely chop the previously washed parsley and fold it into the mixture. Knead everything with your hands until the ingredients are combined. If the dough is not very compact, you can add a little more breadcrumbs. Once the dough is ready, take a small portion and, again with your hands, form round meatballs, the size of a walnut, which you will dip in breadcrumbs. Once all the mixture is finished, pour the oil into a pan and heat it until it reaches a temperature of 170°C (use a kitchen thermometer to measure the exact temperature). When the oil is hot, dip a few pieces at a time and wait 2-3 minutes, until golden brown, before draining them and place them on a tray lined with kitchen paper, which will absorb excess oil. Serve your eggplant meatballs still hot and steaming.
PRESERVATION
I recommend consuming the eggplant meatballs as soon as they are ready, but if you wish you can store them in the refrigerator, closed in an airtight container for a couple of days at most. You can freeze the raw eggplant meatballs and then cook them as needed.
ADVICE
If you want to avoid frying, you can also bake the meatballs in the oven: they will not maintain a perfectly round shape but they will be delicious and a little lighter. In this case you can try at 200°C for 15-20 minutes. To better adjust, we suggest you cook a few meatballs as before baked to adjust the ideal time and temperature for your oven!
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