This week in Real Italian, Real Fast we’re making Polpette di Melanzane al Sugo. This easy weeknight meal is made with tender fried eggplant meatballs simmered in a marinara sauce. The fried eggplant balls are made with boiled eggplant combined with fresh parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. The meatless meatballs are then simmered in a simple marinara sauce with garlic, crushed red pepper, and basil!
I love to make these in the summer with small fresh graffiti eggplants or Sicilian eggplants. Pick smaller eggplants that feel heavy for their size. They will be sweeter and have less seeds. Fresher eggplant will have green stems and feel firm to the touch. The freshest eggplants will be less bitter and creamier once boiled.
Ready to make them yourself? Here's the full recipe.
Polpette di Melanzane al Sugo
4
servings30
minutes20
minutesIngredients
4 small 4 graffiti or Sicilian eggplants (1.5 to 2 lb.), chopped into 1 inch chunks
1 cup 1 Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, divided
1 clove 1 garlic, minced
1/4 cup 1/4 fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup 1/2 freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 large 1 egg
3 tbsp. 3 plus 1 tsp. kosher salt (for boiling)
1/2 tsp. 1/2 black pepper
1/4 cup 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
- Sugo (Marinara Sauce)
1 28 oz. 1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. 2 extra virgin olive oil
1 clove 1 garlic, minced
1 tsp. 1 crused red pepper
5 5 basil leaves
Directions
- Bring a large 6-8 qt. pot of water to a boil.
- Add 3 tbsp. kosher salt.
- Place the eggplant in the water and boil for 10 minutes.
- Drain and remove the eggplant.
- Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is shimmering, stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper.
- Sauté for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and then pour in the crushed tomatoes.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Then stir in the basil.
- Place the boiled eggplant in a cheesecloth or between two sheets of paper towels and press as much of the liquid out as possible.
- Removing as much liquid as possible helps the mixture hold together better and fry crispy instead of soggy.
- Finely chop the boiled eggplant.
- Add the eggplant, ¾ cup of breadcrumbs, parsley, parmigiano, egg, garlic, teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper to a bowl.
- Combine by hand and roll out about 15-20 1-inch eggplant meatballs.
- Roll the eggplant meatballs in the remaining ¼ cup of breadcrumbs.
- Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is shimmering, Fry the meatballs turning every 1-2 minutes until golden-brown all over. Work in batches if needed.
- Transfer the eggplant meatballs to the marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve with extra parmigiano reggiano!
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