DiAnoia’s Eatery likes to put an Italian spin on classic recipes.  A perfect example is our Eggplant Parmesan Fritters. We transformed the classic eggplant parmesan into shareable fritters. The fritters are created with a mixture of eggplant, marinara sauce and parmesan cheese, breaded, fried, and then served with marinara and pesto.  Forbes.com even featured the recipe on their site for this year’s Superbowl recipes.

Fritters Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants, halved and score on flesh side
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 oz. olive oil
• ½ lb. fresh mozzarella, small dices
• 4 oz. Parmesan
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 oz. marinara
• Salt to taste
• 2 qts. frying oil (soy, vegetable, or canola)

3 Step Breading Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 4 oz. water
• 16 oz. bread crumbs

Marinara Ingredients:

• 1 28 oz. can tomatoes
• 2 oz. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 sprigs basil

Pesto Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. basil
• 1 oz. arugula
• 1 oz. Parmesan
• 1 tbsp. pine Nuts
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 1 cup EVO

Instructions:

1. Place oil and garlic in a sauce pot and cook til garlic starts to bubble then add your tomatoes and cook til the tomatoes come up to a simmer on medium heat. Puree with a stick blender and set aside.
2. Place Eggplants flat side down on a sheet tray with parchment paper.  Add 2 oz. of water to the bottom of the tray. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until the flesh is tender enough to scoop out with a spoon. Scoop out the flesh and discard the skins. Place to flesh in a medium size pot with the olive oil and garlic. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes to cook some of the moisture out. Add your marinara and your cheeses and cook till the cheeses are melted.
3. Take off the stove and place in a large container in the freezer to cool quickly.
4. When mixture is cooled take a 2 oz. ice cream scoop and scoop onto a sheet tray with parchment paper. Place the tray back into the freezer until the outsides are solid enough to handle.
5. In 3 separate bowls place flour in the first, the eggs and water in the second, and the bread crumbs in the third.
6. Put the 2 qts. of either of the oils in a small sauce pot and bring to 350 degrees.
7. When the eggplant balls are frozen enough to handle, place them in the flour and coat, then the egg mixture and coat, and finally the bread crumbs and coat thoroughly.
8. When the oil is heated to 350 degrees, place a small amount of the fritters in the oil and cook till golden brown about 5 minutes. If your oil doesn’t cover them make sure your turning the fritter so that each side is getting crispy. When they are crispy and warmed through pull out and place on a plate with paper towels on top.
9. On a plate put marinara down as the base. Put one layer of fritters on top and then drizzle your pesto over top of everything.

See more DiAnoia’s Recipes here. Feeling hungry and you’d rather have someone else make this for you? Make a reservation at DiAnoia’s Eatery in the Strip District here.