The eggplant cutlets are incredibly easy to make, tender inside and melt in your mouth, while crispy on the outside. This recipe is really simple: first, cook the whole eggplants in the air fryer or oven to soften them inside, then prepare a batter that makes them irresistible. This way, the eggplants will already be very soft inside, a real delight.
We can cook the eggplant cutlets in three ways: in the air fryer, in the pan, or in the oven. Whatever cooking method you prefer, you will find it below.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 oval black eggplants
- 4.6 oz chickpea flour
- 1 cup ml water
- as needed breadcrumbs
- as needed salt
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Air Fryer
Steps
First, wash the eggplants and dry them. Poke the surface using the prongs of a fork. Transfer them directly into the air fryer (I use parchment paper in this case) and cook them at 340°F for about 35 minutes, or in the oven at 350°F for 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can also cook them in the microwave (especially if it’s hot and you want to avoid turning on the oven); in this case, it is necessary to poke them to prevent them from exploding, place them on the microwave plate, and cook at 800 watts for 15 minutes; once ready, wait at least 10 minutes before opening the door.
Let the eggplants cool down. Remove the skin from the eggplants and slightly mash them with a fork, so they take a flattened shape. Blot them well with kitchen paper to remove excess water.
Meanwhile, prepare a simple batter: in a bowl, mix the chickpea flour with water and a pinch of salt. If you like, you can substitute chickpea flour with all-purpose 00 flour or rice flour. In another plate, pour the breadcrumbs.
Dip the eggplants first in the batter and then in the breadcrumbs, forming our cutlets.
Spray some extra virgin olive oil on both sides and cook them in the air fryer at 400°F for 10 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking, or in the oven for about 18-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook them in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until golden, turning them to cook the other side as well.
Serve the eggplant cutlets hot or warm, they are delicious any way. Enjoy your meal!
Tips for you
✔ Instead of chickpea flour, you can use: all-purpose 00 flour, rice flour, or other gluten-free flour.
✔ For a gluten-free version, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
✔ It is recommended to cook the eggplant cutlets directly in the basket of the air fryer WITHOUT using trays or parchment paper: this way, they will cook with air circulating 360 degrees from bottom to top, which allows for ideal air frying without obstructions.
✔ I recommend using a BBQ mesh to insert directly in the non-stick basket of your air fryer: the mesh protects the non-stick coating of the basket (which will remain like new) and allows food to cook evenly, letting the air pass through 360 degrees. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here.
✔ Alternatively, you can use perforated parchment paper, which allows air to pass from bottom to top. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here: link.
✔ The oil sprayer I used for this recipe is available in some supermarkets and is a ready-to-use EVO spray. I recommend it because the spray is nebulized and controlled, besides being really excellent. You can find some on Amazon clicking here. Alternatively, you can purchase the rechargeable sprayer that you can fill with the oil you prefer. I’ll leave you the link to a great sprayer clicking here.
✔ For this recipe, I used the air fryer COSORI 4.7 which you can find on Amazon here.
Don’t miss the latest recipe for 👉 sandy potatoes with chicken and zucchini: a delicious dish to cook directly in the air fryer!
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