Eggplant Balls
I never had polpette di melanzane (eggplant “meatballs”) before I stumbled upon them 8 years ago in Napoli at a family trattoria behind all the fancy hotels facing the Bay of Naples on the Lungomare.
Despite the literal translation “eggplant meatballs” there’s no meat in these crispy marble-sized balls.
I fell in love with this Neapolitan treat and had to create a recipe so I could enjoy eggplant balls at home.
I often get the urge to fry some up. I savor them just out of the oil and leave them on the counter so I can pop one in my mouth any time I get close.
The crunchy exterior gives way to the soft mellow eggplant center flavored with pecorino and garlic.
Make a big batch for your antipasti course or serve them as a side for roasted or grilled meats or fish. You can also fry eggplant meatballs without the breadcrumb coating, add a simple marinara sauce and serve them with pasta.
- 1 eggplant, about 1 pound
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat Italian parsley, minced
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- fine breadcrumbs for coating
- 50% extra virgin olive oil and 50% peanut or safflower oil for frying
- Put on a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Cut the eggplant with the skin on into 1-inch cubes. (Peel them if you don’t like the skin.)
- When the water is boiling put the eggplant in. Press them down once in a while because they like to float on the surface.
- Boil them for about 10 minutes until the cubes are tender.
- While the eggplant is boiling, put the rest of the ingredients (except the olive oil and the breadcrumbs for coating) in a large bowl and mix well.
- When the eggplant is soft drain them in a colander and press them down with a potato masher to get out more water. You want the eggplant as dry as possible. Mash some more to create a pulpy consistency.
- If you were unable to get them to a pulpy consistency in the colander when the eggplant is cool enough to handle lay the eggplant out on a cutting board and mince the eggplant so there are no big pieces and the eggplant is a pulpy consistency.
- Add the eggplant to the bowl with the other ingredients and mix everything well.
- Roll the eggplant mixture in your hand to form 1-2 inch diameter balls. Lay them out on a plate or baking sheet in a single layer.
- Put the breadcrumbs for the coating in a shallow bowl and lightly coat the balls. Put them back on the baking sheet or plate in a single layer.
- Heat enough extra virgin olive oil and peanut oil in a saute pan (I use my 9-inch cast iron pan) to a depth of at least 1/2 inch. You need sufficient oil to come halfway up the balls or they won’t fry evenly.
- Fry the balls until they are golden all over. Turn them gently so they don’t break apart. Take them out of the pan and drain them on a plate lined with paper towel.
- Serve immediately.
- Makes about 2 dozen eggplant balls, depending on their size.