Italian Eggplant Balls

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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Active time: 30 minutes

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Start to finish: 1¹/₂ hours

VARIATIONS

For Sicilian eggplant balls, add ¹/₂ cup toasted pine nuts and ¹/₂ cup dried currants (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and then drained) to the eggplant mixture.

For Neapolitan eggplant balls, add ¹/₂ cup chopped pitted green or black olives to the eggplant mixture.

In Southern Italy meat was quite scarce, so cooks invented dishes using eggplant and other vegetables. Pitticelle di murignani come from Calabria, the point of Italy’s boot.

3 (1-pound) eggplants

2 large eggs

¹/₂ cup freshly grated Parmesan

1¹/₂ cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, divided

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 cups vegetable oil for frying

For dipping:

1 cup Herbed Tomato Sauce or purchased marinara sauce, heated

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F, and line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Prick eggplants with a meat fork, and bake for 20 minutes. Turn eggplants over and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until eggplants are totally tender. Remove the pan from the oven, and cut eggplants in half. When cool enough to handle, scrape pulp away from skin, and puree in a food processor, adding juices that have accumulated in the pan. Scrape eggplant into a mixing bowl.

2. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl, and add eggplant puree, cheese, ¹/₂ cup breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add more breadcrumbs, if necessary, to form a cohesive dough.

3. Place remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Make mixture into 1¹/₂-inch balls, roll balls in breadcrumbs, and repeat until all of eggplant mixture is used.

4. Heat oil in a deep-sided saucepan or deep-fryer to a temperature of 375°F. Preheat the oven to 150°F, and line a baking sheet with paper towels.

5. Add eggplant balls, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook eggplant balls for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Remove eggplant balls from the pan with a slotted spoon, and drain well on paper towel–lined baking sheet. Keep fried eggplant balls warm in the oven while frying remaining balls. Serve immediately, accompanied by a bowl of Herbed Tomato Sauce for dipping.

Note: The eggplant balls can be prepared for frying up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. They can also be fried in advance; reheat them in a 400°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until hot and crusty again.

Eggplants have male and female gender, and the males are preferable since they have fewer seeds and are less bitter in taste. To tell a male from a female, look at the stem end. The male is rounded and has a more even hole, and the female hole is indented.