Small stuffed eggplants as my mom used to make them, and now I try to prepare them myself. It will be very difficult, but I’ll try anyway, using the same ingredients, the taste should be just right. These stuffed small eggplants are not only a Sicilian specialty, but also Calabrian and Apulian. The filling is up to whoever prepares them, choosing ingredients to their taste. The base for preparing stuffed small eggplants is the internal eggplant pulp, leaving the shell intact, then it will be fried and added directly with the rest of the filling like fresh breadcrumbs and Sicilian Pecorino. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Don’t forget to follow me on the blog, where you’ll find various seasonal recipes like this eggplant one.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Sicily
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 368.34 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 20.26 (g) of which sugars 5.77 (g)
- Proteins 18.62 (g)
- Fat 24.41 (g) of which saturated 10.46 (g)of which unsaturated 4.61 (g)
- Fibers 4.45 (g)
- Sodium 1,611.98 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 220 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Necessary Ingredients for Preparing Small Stuffed Eggplants
- 18 eggplants
- 7 oz provola
- 3.5 oz breadcrumbs
- 3.4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 2.8 oz Sicilian Pecorino (pepato)
- 3 tomatoes
- 6 leaves basil
- 2 slices cooked ham
- 2 eggs
Tools for Preparing Small Stuffed Eggplants
- Bowl
- Pan
- Scoop
- Cutting board
Steps for Preparing Small Stuffed Eggplants
Here are the small stuffed eggplants ready to enjoy.
Cut the stem from the eggplants and make a cone incision with a small knife to prepare the lid. Scoop out the pulp using a scoop or a teaspoon. Put some salt in the shells and place them upside down on a plate to drain excess water. Cut the eggplant pulp into cubes and sauté in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Let the eggplant pulp cool and add the diced cooked ham, cubed provola, chopped basil, salt, and grated Sicilian pecorino. Boil the eggs for 8 minutes, chop them when cool, and add to the filling. Also, dice the tomatoes. Complete everything with fresh breadcrumbs.
This is the original recipe my mom always made, sometimes she even put them in the sauce after frying.
Fill the eggplant shells with the filling and close each with its lid. Pass through a pan with a drizzle of oil and fry the small stuffed eggplants upside down to seal them. Turn them over on all sides to cook evenly. You can serve them like this as a second course, or prepare a tomato sauce and cook them together to then dress the pasta.
These small eggplants are so tender that it takes little time to cook them.
Advice
I would recommend trying to prepare eggplants in oil
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/vaipinacucina/melanzane-sottolio/
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/vaipinacucina/melanzane-sottolio/
https://blog.giallozafferano.it/vaipinacucina/melanzane-sottolio/
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can the small stuffed eggplants be frozen?
Yes, of course, right after being cooked and well cooled, they can be kept in the freezer for a couple of months.
