eggplant polpette

with a middle eastern twist

(Vegetarian Meatballs)

These vegetarian eggplant meatballs are my version of a popular dish. Although the origins are Italian, specifically from the “heel of the boot,” the seasonings I’m using put them slide them over to the “Middle Eastern” category. They’re crispy on the outside, tender within, and very satisfying.

Eggplant Polpette are very versatile, in that they can be served on toothpicks as hors d’oeuvres, or topped with any number of sauces such as tahini or romesco. In the Italian version the eggplant is steamed or baked. I start by roasting the eggplants, which imparts a tantalizing smoky flavor that’s reminiscent of baba ganoush.

Some people bake these, while others fry them. I’ve tried it both ways and I think they’re much better when fried—even though baking is lower in calories. To give them an even crispier "crust," I roll them in breadcrumbs before frying.

For a hearty vegetarian entrée, consider using these eggplant meatballs instead of poultry in the Persian dish, fesenjan. The thick sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses will make it rich in protein. Served with Persian rice and shirazi salad, it’s a company-worthy meal.

You can make these in advance and keep them in the freezer for a quick meal at any time. It’s best to freeze them raw, to protect the texture from getting mushy.

Ingredients:

• 2 large globe eggplants

• 1 tablespoons fruity extra virgin olive oil, plus more for later

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 4 large cloves garlic, minced

• 2 large eggs

• Optional: ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

• 2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs plus more for frying

• 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped (use parsley if you don’t like cilantro)

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 1 teaspoon sumac

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon coriander, preferably freshly ground

• Several grinds of the pepper mill

Method:

• Roast the eggplants: Roasting over a direct flame gives them a lovely smoky taste. If you have a gas stovetop, lay the eggplants directly over two burners. (I suggest you line the cooktop with foil for easy clean up.) Turn the flame to medium high and let the eggplants roast, turning them with tongs every few minutes, until they are charred all around and have collapsed. Or, roast them on a BBQ grill. Then set them aside on a platter until they’re cool enough to handle.

If you don’t have access to a grill or a gas stove, don’t fret. You can also do this in an oven, but be sure to prick the eggplants with a fork in several places so that they don’t explode. Just slide them into a 450º oven and turn them every so often until they’re charred and collapsed— you could also do this under the broiler. Don’t you love options?

• Once your roasted eggplants are cool enough to handle, take a sharp knife and slice each eggplant lengthwise.  Scrape the flesh away from the charred skin—no worries if some bits of the skin get mixed in with the flesh—drain off any liquid, and scoop the pulp into a food processor.

• Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and pulse until well combined into a slightly chunky paste. Taste the mixture for salt and add more if needed.

• To make the balls, I go with the assembly line method.

• Pour some breadcrumbs on a flat plate.

• Using a 1.5 inch cookie scoop (You could use your hands, but I like the uniformity in size you get with the scoop), drop mounds of the dough onto a flat surface until you’ve used it all up. I got 47 balls out of the mix.

• One at a time, pick up each mound, gently roll it into a ball in your palms (don’t compact it) and then roll it in the bread crumbs. You can make them round like traditional meatballs, or football shaped, like kofta. Place them on the cookie sheet.

• Pour a generous amount of a neutral oil into a large skillet. I like to use avocado or sunflower. You could use olive oil as well.

• Heat the oil to about 350º. You want it hot enough for the balls to sizzle when they hit the oil, but don’t let it smoke. Add the polpette to the oil, but don’t over-crowd the pan or they will be very difficult to turn—trust me on this. Fry them until crisp and golden, then roll them over and fry them on the other side. This should take around five minutes. When they’re done, transfer them to paper towels to drain the excess oil. Then make the next batch, adding more oil to the pan if needed.

• Another option is to use a deep fryer. If you go this route, lower the empty basket into the oil and then add the balls, giving the basket a shake as you add them. This way, they won’t stick to the basket.

If you’re not serving them right away, don’t store them in sauce. They’ll absorb the sauce and turn into mush. You can trust me on this one, too.

You can now finish them in any way you’d like.

Use one of the following, or devise a sauce of your own.

• Serve them on toothpicks for hors d’oeuvres, with tahini, tzatziki, or romesco sauce.

• Or serve them in a bowl, with rice on the side, as an entrée, or as part of a buffet. Any of the above sauces work, use one of the ideas below, or come up with your own.

• For a quick sauce, stir together 2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce—homemade or high quality jarred—and add ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon ground allspice. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes and it’s ready to serve.

• Or use the polpette in fesenjan.

• Or the tamarind and date glaze from this recipe, thinned to a saucy consistency with a bit of water.

• The possibilities are endless.