Fried eggplant balls with tomato sauce

Name: Fried eggplant balls with tomato sauce
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 3 Aubergines (260 g each); 7-10 Tbsp Salt; 2 Onions; 2–3 Garlic cloves; 750 g ripe tomatoes; 1 collar Basil; 4 Stem(s) Mint; 3 Eggs (size M); 50 g Ricotta cheese; 7-10 Tbsp Pepper; 175 g Breadcrumbs; 6-7 TABLESPOONS Olive oil; 2 TABLESPOONS Tomato paste; 7-10 Tbsp Sweet peppers; 7-10 Tbsp Sugar; 6 Stem(s) Parsley

AUTHOR
Rachel Vazquez

DIFFICULTY
very easy

RATING

COOK TIME
60 mins

TOTAL TIME
60 mins

Ingredients

Servings: 4

3 Aubergines (260 g each)
7-10 Tbsp Salt
2 Onions
2–3 Garlic cloves
750 g ripe tomatoes
1 collar Basil
4 Stem(s) Mint
3 Eggs (size M)
50 g Ricotta cheese
7-10 Tbsp Pepper
175 g Breadcrumbs
6-7 TABLESPOONS Olive oil
2 TABLESPOONS Tomato paste
7-10 Tbsp Sweet peppers
7-10 Tbsp Sugar
6 Stem(s) Parsley

Directions

1
Wash the aubergines, cut off the ends and cut the aubergines into 1.5 cm thick slices. Put them into a large pot with boiling salted water, bring to the boil, cover and cook for about 6 minutes. Lift out with a skimmer and drain well between two layers of kitchen paper.
2
Let it cool down.
3
In the meantime peel and finely dice the onions. Peel garlic and chop finely. Wash, clean and roughly dice the tomatoes. Carefully squeeze any remaining moisture out of the aubergines with kitchen paper.
4
Dice the aubergines. Wash the basil, shake dry and pluck the leaves from the stalks. Wash mint, shake dry and pluck the leaves from the stalks.
5
Place the mint, half of the basil, aubergines, 1 egg, ricotta, half of the garlic, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in a mixing bowl and blend coarsely with a hand blender. Mix in 100 g breadcrumbs.
6
Let the mixture swell for about 15 minutes.
7
In the meantime, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide saucepan, add onions and the remaining garlic and fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes while turning. Add tomato paste and sauté briefly. Add tomatoes, deglaze with 150 ml water.
8
Season with salt, pepper, paprika and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring several times. Then season again with salt, pepper, paprika and sugar.
9
Form 16 balls of the same size from the eggplant mixture. The mixture is a little mushy. Whisk 2 eggs in a deep plate. Season 75 g breadcrumbs with salt and pepper.
10
Carefully turn the balls first in egg and then in breadcrumbs. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and carefully fry the balls in it until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to drip off a little on kitchen paper.
11
Add the balls to the tomato sauce and heat up again briefly. In the meantime wash parsley, shake dry and chop finely. Mix parsley, except for 1 tbsp., and remaining basil leaves, except for 5-6 leaves, into the sauce.
12
Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley and basil leaves.