Polpette di Melanzane (Eggplant Meatballs)
Polpette di Melanzane, aka eggplant meatballs, are the perfect crispy and savory Italian appetizer. These eggplant meatballs are perfect for serving with marinara sauce or pesto!
Servings: 20 meatballs
Calories: 96kcal
Cost: $10
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 large pot
- 1 medium bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb sicilian eggplants
- 1.25 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- ½ cup pecorino
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Chop the eggplant into 1-inch pieces. Leave the skin on. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously and boil the eggplant for 8-10 minutes until soft. Strain the eggplant and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Place the eggplant on a paper towel-lined surface or a cheesecloth. Gently press the eggplant with another paper towel or cheesecloth to squeeze out as much water as possible.
- Chop the eggplant finely by hand. Add it to a large bowl with 1 cup of breadcrumbs, parsley, pecorino, salt, pepper, and garlic. Use a fork to combine everything until just combined. Add the egg and mix until well combined.
- Roll the mixture out into 1-inch balls. Then dredge the balls in the remaining ¼ cup of bread crumbs.
- Place a pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Don't skimp out on the olive oil, or the eggplant will stick. Place the balls into the oil and fry on all sides until golden brown. About 3-5 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite marinara or vodka sauce.
Video
Notes
- Press the eggplants gently with a cheese cloth or paper towel after boiling. Don't overdo it and destroy them. Make sure to take the time to remove as much water as possible to get the most even crispy texture.
- Mix all the ingredients without the egg first. Then add the egg so it can evenly disperse throughout the mixture. If you add the egg too early, it will just soak into the breadcrumbs.
- Find a leftover sauce to serve these with. They really go well with any red sauces, but I also like them with a Pistachio Pesto.
- After you fry the eggplant meatballs, sprinkle them with a bit of salt. This will give them that complete, restaurant-style finish.
- Eat these fresh. They're fine if you warm them up in the oven, but they are definitely best served fresh, because they tend to get a bit mushy on the second day.
Nutrition
Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 76IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
