Serves: 4
Prep: 10min
Cooking: 30min
This recipe is one of the most traditional side in the Neapolitan cuisine. The aubergines are deep fried and become of the colour of the mushrooms, hence the name "Melanzane a Funghetto". They are simply delicious!
Mamma Flora's Tip: You can use the "mushroom style" aubergines as a sauce for the pasta, top it with some mozzarella and parmesan and the success is guaranteed!
Ingredients:
- 3 aubergines
- 300 gr of cherry tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup of frying oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- basil
- salt
Tools:
- 2 pans
- kitchen paper
Method:
- Let’s begin by washing the aubergines and drying them. Cut off the tops and bottoms and quarter the eggplant, trim off the seedy center and dice the eggplant (see pic below)
- Pour the frying oil in a big pan on medium-high heat and wait for it to reach the right temperature. To understand when ready, insert a small piece of aubergine in the oil and if there are bubbles forming around it then you are ready to fry! Getting the right temperature is very important as it prevents the vegetables absorbing the oil
- Add some aubergines in the pan, not too many, if the pan is not big enough for all, then repeat the process multiple times until all aubergines are fried. Fry until golden brown, it should take around 5-7min per time
- Prepare a plate with kitchen paper to arrange the aubergines once ready and to absorb the extra oil
- In the meantime cut the cherry tomatoes in halves
- In a pan add the extra virgin olive oil with a garlic clove and gently heat, once the oil is warm then pour the cherry tomatoes, add salt as per taste and cover for 7min until the tomatoes are slightly cooked
- Once all the aubergines are fried, add them in the pan with the cherry tomatoes and stir together for couple of minutes
- Add some fresh basil and enjoy!