Ingredients
AUBERGINES
1 kg
COARSE SALT
to taste
FINE SALT
to taste
PEANUT OIL
to taste
Fried aubergines are a quick and fragrant side dish, perfect to bring to the table in combination with second courses of all kinds, instead of the classic potatoes, or nibbled with your fingertips at aperitif time together with a bowl of homemade tzatziki. The protagonists of the dish are the aubergines, tasty and incredibly versatile in the kitchen which, in the fried version, become the main ingredient of countless recipes of our tradition: from parmigiana, a must of the summer season, to vegetable caponata, from breaded cutlets to pasta alla Norma…

It is a very easy preparation that requires, however, the respect of a few simple precautions so that the fried food is dry, golden and not at all greasy: starting with the choice of aubergines, preferably round black ones, with firm flesh and not too thin skin, or purple streaked ones, with a sweeter flavour and able to absorb little oil during cooking. If you opt for the former, as we did, it will be important then, after having cut them into thin slices or regular cubes, to let them drain in a colander with a pinch of coarse salt, and covered with a weight: by doing so they will lose the characteristic bitter aftertaste and will eliminate part of the vegetation water.

At this point, all you have to do is dip the vegetables in plenty of seed oil brought to a temperature of 170 °C, and that’s it: the result will be a snack that is crunchy on the outside and soft at the heart, to be served immediately, still piping hot, even as an appetizer at the start of a dinner with friends.

If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, just dip a cube of aubergine into the hot oil: if it comes back to the surface and bubbles form all around, you can proceed with frying. Also remember to dip the vegetables a few pieces at a time to prevent the temperature of the oil from dropping too much, compromising the final result.

Fried aubergines should be eaten piping hot and immediately. If you have any left over, you can keep them in the fridge for a maximum of 1 day: when serving, we suggest you heat them for a few minutes in a preheated oven at 180 °C.

Find out how to prepare them by following the step-by-step procedure and advice. If you liked this recipe, also try the pan-fried or golden eggplants.

How to prepare fried eggplants
Step 1
Wash and dry the eggplants thoroughly, then trim them and cut some into slices 1.

Step 2
You will need to obtain many regular rounds of about 1/2 cm thick 2.

Step 3
Cut the remaining eggplants into 2 cm cubes 3.

Step 4
Arrange the eggplants in layers in a colander, alternating them with a pinch of coarse salt 4, and let them drain for at least half an hour to eliminate the bitter aftertaste. Once the time has passed, pat them dry with a sheet of kitchen paper.

Step 5
Pour abundant seed oil into a saucepan with high edges 5 and heat it on the stove.

Step 6
When the oil has reached a temperature of 170 °C, dip the diced aubergines 6 and fry them until golden brown.

Step 7
Once ready, remove them with a slotted spoon 7.

Step 8
Let them drain on a sheet of absorbent kitchen paper 8.

Step 9
Also fry the sliced ​​aubergines 9.

Step 10
When they are golden and crispy, remove them with a pair of kitchen tongs 10.

Step 11
Transfer them to a plate with absorbent paper 11 and let them dry.

Step 12
Then arrange the fried aubergines on a tray lined with straw paper 12, lightly salt them on the surface and serve them immediately, hot and fragrant.