Recipe: Fried and Braised Eggplant Balls

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-07-05
From: recipelink.com

Polpette di Melanzane (Fried and Braised Eggplant Balls)
From: La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio by Wanda and Giovanna Tornabene with Michele Evans
Serves 6 to 8

4 medium eggplants, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
3 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves
1/3 cup currants, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, drained, and chopped
1/3 cup chopped pine nuts [we used nuts that were lightly toasted]
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, or as needed, plus extra for breading
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 quart fresh tomato sauce (Salsa di Pomodoro, recipe below)

Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the eggplant pieces and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

Drain the eggplant pieces well in a colander and squeeze out the excess liquid by placing the eggplant, a few pieces at a time, in a clean dish towel and twisting it over the sink.

With your fingers, shred the meat of the eggplant into little pieces and chop it fine.

Put the eggplant into a bowl with 1 of the eggs, the grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese, mint, currants, pine nuts, and bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The mixture should be quite moist but not wet. Add a little more bread crumbs, if necessary.

Beat the 2 remaining eggs in a shallow bowl. Shape the eggplant mixture into balls about 1 1/4 inch in diameter. Coat each ball with egg and then roll in bread crumbs. Let the breaded eggplant balls rest for 10 minutes on a large plate or platter.

Heat about 3 inches of sunflower or vegetable oil in a deep-sided frying pan until the oil is hot but not smoking. Fry the eggplant balls, in batches, until golden brown all over. Drain on paper towels as they are cooked.

Transfer the eggplant balls to a large saucepan and add the tomato sauce. Over medium-low heat, simmer for 30 minutes and occasionally stir very gently. Taste for seasoning.

Serve at room temperature. [This tastes very good hot also.]

Salsa di Pomodoro (Fresh Tomato Sauce)
Makes about 1 quart

5 pounds ripe tomatoes, with stem ends removed, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup freshly chopped basil leaves, plus 6 whole fresh basil leaves
Salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground pepper

Stir the tomatoes, onion, and chopped basil together in a large pot. Season to taste with salt. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often.

A few cups at a time, pass the mixture through a food mill. Return the sauce to a clean pot with the olive oil, basil leaves, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.