Eggplants are so plentiful and versatile in the fall that I included two recipes in this feature. I met Julia Della Croce several years ago in New York City. We immediately connected and had similar backgrounds, especially our love of Italian food. Julia authored several Italian cookbooks. Here is a little about her recipe: “I added the eggplant to the meatballs because it gives you less meat and makes the meatball more tender. What is more classic than mixing meat and eggplant?” NOTE: Local natural lamb and beef can be bought at Sandwich Farmers’ Market from Joseph Beaulieu Jr. Farm (joebeaulieufarm.com).
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant
- 1 cup day-old sturdy bread, such as sourdough or country loaf, crusts removed, cut into ¼-inch cubes (2 ounces trimmed weight)
- 1 egg
- 1 scant teaspoon of fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black or white pepper
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground lamb leg or shoulder
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried crushed rosemary
- Extra virgin or pure olive oil for frying
- 2 cups homemade meatless tomato sauce of your choice
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Prick the eggplant in several places with a cake tester or sharp knife. Place it on a baking sheet and roast until entirely collapsed, soft, and charred, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, place bread cubes in a shallow soup bowl and cover them with water. Soak until moistened for several minutes. Drain and squeeze excess water from the bread.
When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, push out excess seeds. (Leaving some of them in with the pulp adds pep to the meatball texture.) Chop the pulp finely in a food processor. Transfer it to a sieve and press with a spoon to drain off excess liquid.
Whisk egg, sea salt, pepper, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Stir in the prepared bread cubes. Use your hands to break them up until they blend well with the egg mixture. Add the chopped eggplant, ground lamb, parsley, and rosemary. Using your fingers, mix the ingredients without overworking them. If you have time, chill the mixture before forming the meatballs; this step can help you shape it into perfectly round spheres, but it is not essential.
With wet hands, form the mixture into equally sized balls about 1¼ inches in diameter, no larger than golf balls.
Prepare a platter with two layers of paper towels next to the burner where you will be cooking.
In a big skillet or frying pan, pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan and warm it over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches to avoid overcrowding; there should be plenty of room around each for proper searing. When they have developed a light crust and look golden brown, about 10 minutes, transfer them to the paper towels to drain. If necessary, drain off smoky oil and add fresh oil to the pan to prevent the bits that settle on the bottom from burning. Warm the oil once again and finish frying.
If you are serving the meatballs in tomato sauce, warm the sauce in a saucepan over medium heat and slip the browned meatballs into it. Cook them through, about 20 minutes. Serve at once; if you plan to make the meatballs in advance, cool and store them, with or without the tomato sauce, in a covered storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Alternatively, freeze them for up to 3 months.
