Polpette con Melanzane – Eggplant Meatless Meatball
This eggplant meatless meatball recipe is one of my family’s favorites. They love these so much that at one point I was making these almost every week. Since they are lighter, we tend to prefer them over their meaty counterpart. They proudly stand out on their own and don’t need to be dredged in the sauce.
Table of Contents
Chronicles of Eggplant Meatless Polpettes
Eggplant meatless meatballs are not a new invention, they are popular in most of the Mediterranean regions. Let’s not forget that meat was not something people ate everyday since the meat was not always accessible or affordable. So people used surplus vegetables for their daily meals. This polpette recipe is from the Calabria region of Italy, popular for its eggplant and Calabrian chilies.
What’s unique about this Recipe?
Grocery and Pantry List
Time Required:
Bake in 400°F(200°C) the preheated oven.
Special Tools to Use:
Recipe Steps at a Glance
This eggplant polpette recipe can be broken down into the following steps:
Step-by-step: How to Make Eggplant Meatless Meatball
Step 1: Preparing the eggplants
Start by preparing the eggplants. I keep half of the peels since I like the skin texture, but if you find the skin too tough, you can peel them completely.
Slice and cube the eggplants, then salt them. The salt draws out moisture and helps the eggplant absorb oil, giving it a creamier texture.
Once dew-like drops appear on the eggplant surface, dry them with a towel and toss them in 2 tablespoons of oil. Rub the oil in so all the cubes are coated.
Evenly distribute the cubes on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven. The high heat will sear and brown the surface, allowing the absorbed oil to cook the interior.
Check a piece or two to ensure they are cooked through.
Step 2: Making the eggplant mixture
Once the eggplants are roasted, let them cool down a little bit.
The easiest way to mash the cooked eggplants are with a food processor. You can use a meat grinder or potato masher. Pulse the roasted eggplants a few times to chop, but you want them chunky.
After you mush and grind the eggplants, add the egg, cheese, seasoning, and fresh herbs. After combining them all, start adding the breadcrumbs just enough to hold the mixture together.
You can use store-bought seasoned or unseasoned, homemade breadcrumbs, or panko. The breadcrumbs are supposed to draw out moisture and combine the rest of the ingredients.
Once the eggplants are roasted, let them cool down a bit.
The easiest way to mash the cooked eggplants is with a food processor. You can also use a meat grinder or potato masher. Pulse the roasted eggplants a few times until they are chopped but still chunky.
After mashing the eggplants, add the egg, cheese, seasoning, and fresh herbs. Combine all the ingredients, then start adding breadcrumbs just enough to hold the mixture together.
You can choose to put less if you want a more delicate texture or more crumbs if you prefer a more dense structure.
Step 3: Making and baking the balls
Divide the mixture and shape them into golf-size balls. These will go into the oven for a second bake. The second bake will solidify the balls into their shape, sear, and cook them throughout.
Best Way to Serve
Serve as a fun bite-size appetizer, with other vegetables, or with spaghetti. We love to put them in a roll and eat them parmigiana-style in a sandwich with just a little cheese and sauce.
Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze the balls?
The eggplant balls are a good option for freezing. Place the uncooked balls in a single layer on a tray and freeze them until they are firm. After that, you can combine them and store them in a freezer bag.
Why you salt the eggplants after cutting them?
The salt serves a dual purpose. It draws out water and shrinks air pockets in the eggplant’s flesh, so they absorb less oil (leading to less greasy fried or roasted eggplants.) The salt removes the bitterness from the eggplants and helps season it from the inside out, ensuring the creamy interior tastes as good as the browned exterior.
More Recipes to Try From Cafe Osharak
If you give this recipe a try, I’d be thrilled to hear from you! Let me know if you find it delicious and easy to make. Feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions. I’m here to help. And be sure to check out other recipes from Cafe Osharak that you might enjoy!
Eggplant Meatless Meatball – Polpette con Melanzane
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
- 2 eggplant half peeled and cubed
- Salt for salting the eggplants
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 teaspoon parsley plus leaves for garnish
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg beaten
- teaspoon salt
- teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 2 oz freshly grated, plus more for serving
- 1 basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Slice and cube the eggplants.
- Season the cubed eggplants with salt. Let them stand for 10-20 minutes. Pat dry with a towel and transfer them into a baking sheet and spread them into a single layer. Roast them for 20-30 minutes or until the eggplants are nicely browned and the inside is soft and creamy.
- Transfer the eggplants into the food processor and pulse a few times. You still want to see some chunkiness. Transfer the eggplants into a bowl and mix in the beaten eggs.
- Add the grated cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and mix to distribute them evenly. Start adding the breadcrumbs. You don’t want the mixture to be too stiff, so don’t add the whole cup.
- Divide the eggplant mixture into 18-20 balls and place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake them for additional 20 minutes (on parchment) until they are firm and browned.
- Serve with a red sauce or drizzle the sauce on top. (We found that a red sauce from fresh tomatoes tastes best here vs. canned. But canned tomatoes can work well too.)
- Garnish with basil and extra grated cheese.
I Love all your tasty treats Even just looking is mouth watering. I am going try make few. Please continue with your cooking passion and shower The delicious recipes our way.
Thank you, Zen. I really enjoy sharing our family favorite recipes.