Although you may think that these are heavy (given that are fried in oil), trust me, they only seem so. The moist interior and the bread crumbs create such a texture that absorbs almost no oil at all and makes the final product soft and yummy inside with a crunchy crust on the outside. Try them when you're in the mood for a tasty yet light vegetarian main or a nice snack to nibble on while waiting for a heartier main. They also make for great party appetizers ;)
Recipe adapted from here.
Last year: Fast baby pasta with creamy Parmesan and pea sauce and Simple tomato sauce pasta (pasta con pomodoro).
Ingredients (serves 2 as main, 4-6 as starters):
- 600 g fresh eggplant
- 50 g grated Parmesan
- 2-3 tablespoons ground crackers or breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- a handful of fresh parsley
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 150 ml yogurt
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon ajvar (or harissa or red chili paste)
- juice from half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves (or basil or thyme)
Cut the eggplant(s) in two (lengthwise) and carve a squared-pattern into them with a sharp knife. Rub with olive oil, salt and pepper and put them on a baking sheet, interior-side up:
Bake for 35 minutes at max temperature:
Scoop out their softened flesh with a spoon and put it in a colander to drain:
Mix the parmesan, beaten egg, breadcrumbs and crushed garlic in a bowl. Add the eggplant:
Mix everything with a fork (the eggplant will get mashed into the process). Add more tablespoons of ground breadcrumbs until you obtain a paste that can be easily molded (we didn't need any extra, but you may happen to, depending on how well you drained the eggplant):
Form little balls out of it and fry them in a little more olive oil:
Turn them gently on all sides until they're crispy, then proceed to do the same with the remaining composition. For the sauce, mix everything together in a dipping bowl:
Serve warm or cold, with the sauce. Dig in ! :)
Ce reteta interesanta!
ReplyDeleteAm s-o incerc si eu.. o varianta vegeteriana perfecta pentru chiftelute de carne!
Noua ne-a placut la nebunie. Si-s si mai usor de facut daca ai deja vinete coapte in cantitati mai mari la congelator ;)
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