Carmela's Eggplant Patties

Summer yields quite a display of eggplant varietals. When grilling, my favorite is white eggplant. When cooked, it is creamy, mild and imparts a slightly sweet flavor. Sicilian eggplant is a light shade of purple with some stripes of white and is similar in taste and texture to the white. I was recently introduced to green eggplant and am impressed with the minimal amount of seeds, creaminess, and slight bitterness. The traditional purple eggplants are my “go-to” when I can no longer locally access my favorites and for eggplant parmigiana.

Fortunately, all of the above are perfectly acceptable for making this recipe that happens to be my friend Jackie’s grandmother Carmela’s, spelled with one “L” as reminded.  Jackie prepared these patties for my husband and me, as an appetizer on a recent trip to her South Carolina home. She fried them, patted the oil off on paper towels, and we indulged on the crispy patties with the creamy eggplant center. We had plenty of leftovers, so Jackie took a platter of this deliciousness to the new neighbors across the street. You might say it was southern hospitality, but Jackie was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, imparting her very own unique warmth, friendship, and love of cooking!

This recipe is also great for the times when you may have purchased more eggplants than you had the time to cook. If the produce is getting a bit soft, go ahead and use them up. It won’t hurt the final result.

Jackie in her kitchen

Carmela’s Eggplant Patties

Serves 4 (12 patties)

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Hot pepper flakes to taste (optional)

1 tablespoon each fresh chopped parsley and basil

2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

2 eggs, whisked

¾ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Canola oil for frying

Directions:

1.       Add chopped eggplant to boiling salted water. Cook until soft; approximately 10 minutes. Drain in a mesh colander and place the softened eggplant in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

2.       Saute the garlic and onion in olive oil until soft and translucent. Add to the bowl with eggplant.

3.       Next, add the hot pepper flakes, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and seasoned bread crumbs to the bowl.

4.       Whisk the eggs and grated cheese, then pour into the bowl with all the other ingredients and incorporate it into the mixture.

5.       Form into 1 ½ patties, fry in hot oil turning until both sides are golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Tips for serving:

a.       The patties can be made larger; in that case, I would recommend doubling the recipe.

b.       Place two eggplant patties on the plate with a tossed salad.

c.       Greek-style? Serve with Tzatziki sauce for dipping. You can also change out the basil for fresh mint in the mixture for a different taste.

d.       Italian style? Serve with a light basil laden Pomodoro sauce for dipping.

 This and other printable recipes are available at www.theothersideofthespatula.com