Cooked eggplant is mixed into an egg, breadcrumb, cheese, and veggie mixture, chilled and then shaped into tiny balls. They 're double dipped in flour and fried in oil until crusty and delicious.
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 ounce shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
PREPARATION:
In a medium-size pot, place one inch of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and eggplant. Cover pot and cook 15 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. Drain well.
Chop the cooked eggplant. In a large bowl, combine eggplant, onion, green pepper, 3/4 cup bread crumbs, 1 egg, cheese, paprika, pepper and remaining salt. Cool and chill 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
Place flour in a bowl. Beat the remaining egg in a separate small bowl. Drop mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls into the flour and coat completely. Then dip the eggplant balls into the beaten egg; finally, coat the balls with the remaining bread crumbs.
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil and fry eggplant balls until they are heated through.
Editor's Note:We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.