AUBERGINE MEATBALLS WITH YOGURT SAUCE
INGREDIENTS: 4 medium eggplants (about 1 kg), 1 whole egg, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 clove of garlic, 2 handfuls of chopped parsley, extra virgin olive oil, a jar of natural yogurt (thick Greek type), lemon juice, salt, pepper.
PROCEDURE:
Prick the eggplants and dip them in boiling, salted water, to cook for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze them to lose water. Save an eggplant for the sauce. Chop the three eggplants with ½ clove of garlic and parsley. Add the beaten egg, Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Mix all ingredients well. Form meatballs the size of a walnut. Brown them in a pan with a little oil.
YOGURT SAUCE: mash the eggplant very well with a fork, place it in a bowl with the chopped parsley and garlic, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and yogurt. Mix everything well and refrigerate at least an hour before serving.
EGGPLANT AND PEPPER SKEWERS
INGREDIENTS: 3 long eggplants, 2 colored peppers, 2 ounces of soft cheese (or tofu cream), a handful of capers, a dozen black olives, oregano, a few slices of sweet onion, olive oil, salt.
PROCEDURE: Slice the eggplants and brown them in a pan with a little oil or on the griddle. Divide the peppers into 4/5 slices, remove the seeds and the internal films, cook them in a pan with a little oil or on the griddle. Chop the capers, olives and onion, pour into the bowl with the cheese (or tofu cream) and oregano, some extra virgin olive oil and possibly some salt. Spread the cream obtained on the eggplant and pepper slices. Roll up, insert into the skewer stick and refrigerate for 20/30 minutes to firm everything up.
REFILLED EGGPLANTS
INGREDIENTS: 4 medium eggplants, 6 tomato sauce, 1 onion, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt.
PROCEDURE: Divide the eggplants in half and, with patience, dig out the pulp, keeping the outer part intact with the skin. Cut the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and slice them. Slice the onion and eggplant pulp. Put everything in a pot with a glass of water and salt. Cook 20 minutes on low heat. Salt the eggplant “caps” and leave them, upside down, in a colander to drip for 15 minutes, then rinse and dry them. Drizzle the eggplant sauce with oil and basil leaves. Fill the caps and place in the pan to cook for another 15-20 minutes on low heat. The liquid in the sauce should be sufficient for the eggplants to cook, possibly add a little oil.
FLAVOURED EGGPLANTS
INGREDIENTS: 3 medium eggplants, extra olive oil, salt, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, 1 clove of garlic.
PROCEDURE: Slice the eggplants and cook them on the grill. Chop all the aromas, crush the garlic clove and put everything in a small bowl with oil and salt. Mix well and use to season the eggplants.
AUBERGINES IN OIL
INGREDIENTS: 1 kg of eggplants, a few cloves of garlic, 1 glass of vinegar, salt, chilli pepper, oregano, extra virgin olive oil.
PROCEDURE: Peel the eggplants, cut them into slices and then into thin strips. Place them in a large colander with two handfuls of salt. Leave them for 2 or 3 hours to release the bitter liquid they contain, then squeeze them well and proceed with the preparation. In a pot, boil 1 liter of water with 1 glass of vinegar. Dip the eggplants, a few at a time, in boiling water, for 2 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon, drain them and let them dry well by wrapping them in a clean towel. Pot the eggplants when they are cold, placing a clove of garlic and a sprig of dried oregano in the jars. Cover with extra virgin olive oil, pressing down a little to let out any air that may form. Close the jars and store in a dark place in a cool place. Check, in the following days, for any anomalies... which, however, given the presence of vinegar and salt, should not be there. WARNING: wash the jars in boiling water and dry them very well, even the caps must be clean and dry.