Fried Eggplant Patties in Tomato Sauce

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Roasted Vegetables

1. 1
   Char the eggplants whole directly over the gas flame, turning, until the skin is black and blistered on all sides and the flesh is completely soft (eggplants: 20–30 minutes, about 10 minutes per side).

   Stove

   💡Charring directly over the flame gives the vegetables their smoky flavor; in the oven they soften, but the flavor is milder.
2. 2
   Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly and leave 10–15 minutes.

   Bowl

   💡The steam in the covered container separates the skin from the flesh, so it comes off easily. Don't rinse under water: the smoky flavor washes away with it.
3. 3
   Peel off the charred skin and drain off the liquid (leave the eggplant in a colander 15–30 minutes).

   Colander

   💡Drain the roasted eggplant 15–30 minutes: its bitter juices dilute the salad.
4. 4
   Chop the eggplant flesh with a knife.

   KnifeCutting board

   💡Chop with a knife, not a blender: that way fibers and chunks remain, and the texture doesn't turn to mush.

For the Tomato sauce

1. 5
   In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and sugar with the salt. Don't cook it: the sauce cooks on the pizza in the oven.

   ⚙ SimmeringStoveSmall saucepan

   💡Spread cooled sauce on pizza: hot sauce softens the dough even before baking.

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.

To assemble

1. 6
   Squeeze the eggplant and mix it with the garlic, parsley, egg, flour, breadcrumbs, cumin, paprika, salt and black pepper until you have a mixture you can shape.

   💡Squeeze the eggplant well before mixing: wet eggplant makes a mixture that's too soft, and the patties fall apart in the pan.
2. 7
   Heat the oil in a skillet, shape into patties and fry 4 minutes on each side, until golden.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveFrying pan

   💡What you brown (meat, patties, schnitzel) goes into hot oil: in lukewarm oil it soaks it up and comes out greasy. For onion and garlic that you soften, oil heated over medium or low heat is enough; do not wait for it to smoke.
3. 8
   Serve the patties in the tomato sauce.