Eggplant meatballs with smoked tomato mayonnaise

For the eggplant meatballs

• 650 g long purple aubergines
• 300 g breadcrumbs
• 200 g pane panko
• 80 g stale bread
• 50 g grated Grana Padano
• 3 eggs
• basil
• parsley
• marjoram
• extra virgin olive oil
• peanut oil
• sale
• black pepper

For the tomato mayonnaise

• 100 g latte
• 20 g tomato paste
• 160 g peanut oil
• 5 g liquid smoke
• 4 g apple cider vinegar
• sale
• black pepper

Procedure

For the eggplant meatballs

• Peel the eggplants and dice them. Drizzle with oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange them on an enameled baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a V-ZUG oven at 180°C (350°F) using the "hot air/steam" setting for 25 minutes, starting from a cold oven. Soak the stale bread in water, squeeze it well, and mix it with the eggplant pulp. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, a few chopped basil leaves and a tablespoon of parsley, marjoram leaves, 30g of breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 22-24 meatballs.
• Beat 2 eggs; dip the meatballs first in the eggs, then in the breadcrumbs, then in the eggs again, and finally in the panko breadcrumbs. Place the breaded meatballs on an enameled baking sheet lined with parchment paper, grease with peanut oil, and bake.
• In a V-ZUG oven with the “hot air steam” function at 220°C for 20 minutes, activating preheating from the specific menu.

For the tomato mayonnaise

• Blend the milk with the tomato paste; then add a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and the seed oil, drizzled in, continuing to blend until you obtain a thick consistency. Add the liquid smoke and vinegar, and blend briefly again. Serve the meatballs with the smoked mayonnaise.
• Tip: Meatballs can be cooked in the oven either fresh or frozen; you won't need to change the setting, time, or temperature.