Polpette di melanzane: Sicilian eggplant balls

Soft flesh, crisp crust

With polpette di melanzane, eggplant isn’t just a little addition to a meatball: its soft flesh is the base. Roasting the whole eggplants makes the flesh tender and concentrates its flavour. After roasting, let it drain well and cool. This helps prevent the mixture from becoming too wet and falling apart during frying. A sieve and a fork are all you need; don’t squeeze the flesh completely dry, as a little moisture keeps the balls tender.

Breadcrumbs absorb moisture and give the balls structure, while egg binds the ingredients together. Pecorino adds saltiness and a distinctive savoury flavour; parsley keeps everything fresh. Fine breadcrumbs work best, so the mixture comes together evenly. If the mixture is still very soft after mixing, add an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs at a time and wait a little before shaping the balls. A short rest in the fridge helps too, but don’t let the mixture get so dry that the centres become dense.

Small balls are more practical here than large ones: they cook quickly in the oil and are easy to serve as antipasto. Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the first batch. In lukewarm oil, the balls absorb more fat and brown less evenly; if the oil is too hot, the outside will darken before the centre is warm. Fry in batches and leave space around the balls. After frying, drain them on kitchen paper and serve while warm, when the contrast between the crust and soft centre is most noticeable.

The tomato dip is deliberately simple. Passata with a little garlic, olive oil and salt makes a fresh, slightly tart contrast to the rich eggplant and pecorino. Let the sauce simmer briefly so the garlic loses its raw sharpness while the tomato stays fresh. If you don’t have pecorino, Parmesan can be used instead; the flavour will be milder and less salty. Fine breadcrumbs can be replaced with crumbled stale bread, as long as the crumbs are fine.

Serve the balls as a starter or antipasto, with the sauce on the side to keep the crust crisp. They also fit well on a table with olives, bread and other small dishes. Once cooled, leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge and used within two days. Reheat them on a baking tray in a hot oven until piping hot all the way through; they’ll warm up in the microwave, but lose their crispy exterior.