Name: Aubergine polpettine
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: serves 6 as a starter
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 125g currants soaked and drained; 2large aubergines cut into chunks; 150g finely grated pecorino (or vegetarian alternative); 100g pine nuts toasted; 300g fresh white breadcrumbs plus extra if needed; 3 medium eggs lightly beaten, plus extra if needed; flour for dusting; vegetable or olive oil, for frying

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Aubergine polpettine

Aubergine polpettine

Diana Henry

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serves 6 as a starter

More effort

Prep: 40 mins

Cook: 30 mins

A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.5 ratingsRate

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Little Sicilian savoury-sweet morsels, a bit like meatballs, but made with flavoursome aubergine flesh. Serve plain or with a fresh tomato sauce for dipping

Vegetarian

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

125g currants

soaked and drained
2large aubergines

cut into chunks
150g finely grated pecorino

(or vegetarian alternative)
100g pine nuts

toasted
300g fresh white breadcrumbs

plus extra if needed
3 medium eggs

lightly beaten, plus extra if needed
flour

for dusting
vegetable

or olive oil, for frying

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal448
fat23g
saturates2g
carbs39g
sugars18g
fibre6g
protein19g
salt0.6g

Method

step 1

Cover the currants with boiling water and set aside to soak. Put the aubergines in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Boil for 10 mins, then drain and leave to cool. Take handfuls of the aubergine, squeeze out the excess water and put the pulp in a bowl. Drain the currants, and add with the cheese, nuts, 200g of the breadcrumbs and half the egg. Mix together and season really well (aubergines need good seasoning). The mixture should neither be too soft nor too firm. You should be able to form balls about the size of walnuts without it falling apart. Add more egg or breadcrumbs to get the right consistency.
step 2

Roll each ball in flour, then put them on baking sheets, cover with cling film and chill until you want to cook them. When you’re ready to serve, dip each ball in egg, then the breadcrumbs, and put them back on the baking sheets (you may find you need more breadcrumbs or egg, depending on how much you used when making the balls).
step 3

Half-fill a large frying pan with oil, or deep enough so the fritters will be submerged, and put on the heat. When it’s hot but not smoking, fry the fritters, about six at a time, until dark golden all over – about 7 mins. Transfer onto platters covered with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil, then remove them from the paper and serve immediately.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, August 2016

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A star rating of 4.6 out of 5.5 ratings

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