Egg Plant Fritters

These eggplant fritters take a whole different approach from the breaded-and-fried slices you usually see. The eggplant gets boiled first, scooped out, and mashed into a soft batter with egg, butter, and flour. Then it’s dropped by the spoonful into hot oil and fried until golden.

The result is closer to a savory beignet than a fritter. The inside stays creamy and soft while the outside crisps into a thin, crunchy shell.

The flour amount is flexible on purpose. You want just enough to hold the batter together so it drops cleanly from a spoon. Too much flour and you’ll taste it instead of the eggplant. Start with a couple tablespoons and add more only if the batter is too loose to hold its shape.

Kitchen Tips

• Boil the eggplant until it’s completely soft. Undercooked eggplant won’t mash smoothly and leaves fibrous chunks in the fritters.
• Squeeze out excess water from the boiled eggplant before mixing. Wet eggplant makes the batter too thin and the fritters won’t crisp properly.
• Keep the oil at a steady 375°F (190°C). A thermometer helps. If the oil drops too low, the fritters absorb grease instead of crisping.
• Fry in small batches and drain on paper towels. Serve hot while the crust is still crackling.

Variations

• Add a clove of minced garlic and a pinch of cumin to the batter for a Middle Eastern flair.
• Stir in crumbled feta cheese for salty pockets that melt slightly as the fritters fry.
• Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of tahini for dipping.