Sunday supper: Polpette di Melanzane alla Norma

Makes 30 meatballs.

From “Italian Snacking” by Anna Francese Gass, who writes: “In the south of Italy, eggplants show up in many dishes, in many variations. In Puglia, eggplant meatballs are popular, with each home making them their own, using different cheeses, sometimes capers, even chopped olives. I decided to give my eggplant polpette my own flair, as well. Even if you aren’t an eggplant lover, I beg you to try this recipe. The eggplant melts in the middle and gets perfectly brown crispy edges. Pasta alla Norma is one of my absolute favorite dishes from Sicily; I added ricotta salata and serve it with tomato sauce.” (Union Square & Co., 2024).

For the tomato sauce:

For the meatballs:

Directions

To prepare the tomato sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes (if using) and basil leaves and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the garlic is dark brown. Remove the infused oil from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the garlic and basil. Let the oil cool for a minute or so, then add the tomato purée, salt and oregano. Stir to combine.

Warm the sauce over low heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. (Store leftover sauce in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.)

To prepare the meatballs: In a large stockpot, bring 10 cups water to a boil. Add the eggplant and press it down to submerge. Boil until the eggplant is fork-tender, about 10 minutes.

Drain the eggplant in a colander, then place in a large bowl and add cold water to cool. Drain again and squeeze each piece to remove excess water. Mince the eggplant into a pulp.

In a large bowl, combine the eggplant pulp, parsley, breadcrumbs, both cheeses, eggs, salt and pepper and mix with your hands until fully incorporated.

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat. Working in batches, form the eggplant mixture into balls (each about the size of a golf ball) and place them in the skillet; do not crowd the pan. Press each ball down with a fork to flatten.

Cook until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining eggplant balls, adding more oil to the pan as needed between batches. (Alternatively, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.) Serve hot or at room temperature, with tomato sauce.