Eggplant "Meatballs" (Polpette Di Melanzane) Recipe

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Servings: 6

Ingredients

Cost per serving $1.93 view details

Bring 6 qts of water to a boil and add in 2 Tbsp. salt. Add in the eggplants and boil 10 min. Dip the bread in the water and remove, squeezing to drain the water and set aside.
Remove the eggplants from the water and drain well. When the eggplants have cooled, coarsely chop them and place them in the work bowl of a food processor. Add in the soaked bread and 1 egg and pulse to create a somewhat homogenous paste adding more egg if necessary. Add in 1/2 c. pecorino, garlic and parsley and continue to pulse till a smooth yet somewhat dry mix is formed. Don't over-process.
Turn the mix into a mixing bowl and place bread crumbs on a large plate. Using your hands and working quickly, roll the eggplant mix into balls with a 1/2-inch diameter and roll each ball in the bread crumbs to coat. Hold each ball on a sheet tray.
In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil till just smoking. Cook the eggplant balls in the oil a few at a time, for 6 to 7 min, till dark golden, turning gently with a wooden spoon to proportionately brown all sides. Remove to a tray or possibly plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with the remaining pecorino and serve.
This recipe yields 6 servings.