Recipe Overview
These eggplant croquettes combine soft cooked eggplant, savory Pecorino Romano, sweet raisins and oregano. The recipe uses 160 g all-purpose flour total: 100 g is incorporated into the mixture for structure and 60 g is reserved for dredging before the egg wash and Panko or fine breadcrumbs. A red bell pepper and tomato coulis adds brightness, color and a silky contrast.
Chef Notes
Drain the eggplant extremely well before mixing. Use 100 g flour inside the croquette mixture for structure, then reserve the remaining 60 g flour for dredging before the egg wash. Bread in the professional sequence flour, egg wash, then Panko or breadcrumbs. If the mixture is still soft, rest it briefly before shaping rather than adding unnecessary flour.
Connected Experience
The updated recipe keeps each ingredient identity separate for recipe scaling, Menu Builder, inventory, purchasing and icon synchronization. Salt, black pepper and nutmeg are now individual records instead of one seasoning blend.
Ingredients
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Eggplant - 900 g - peeled and dicedeggplant
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Raisins - 142 graisins
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Pecorino Romano - 113 g - finely gratedpecorino_romano
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Egg Yolks - 60 g - for the croquette mixtureegg_yolks
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All-Purpose Flour - 160 g total - 100 g incorporated into the croquette mixture and 60 g reserved for dredgingall_purpose_flour
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Whole Eggs - 100 g - lightly beaten for egg wash; about 2 large eggsTC-EGG-WHOLE-001
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Panko - 100 g - Panko preferred; fine breadcrumbs may be substitutedBREADCRUMB-PANKO-JAPANESE
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Oregano - 2 goregano
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Neutral Frying Oil - 500 g - for deep fryingneutral_frying_oil
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Culinary Salt - 1.5 g - for the croquette mixtureSPICE-SALT-0001
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Fresh Ground Black Pepper - 1 g - freshly groundSPICE-PEPPERCORN-BLACK
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Ground Nutmeg - 0.5 g - freshly grated or groundnutmeg
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Red Bell Peppers - 300 g - peeled and deseeded for the coulisVEG-BELL-RED
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Canned Peeled Tomatoes - 227 g - for the couliscanned_peeled_tomatoes
Preparation
- Boil the diced eggplant until completely tender. Drain extremely well, mash, and allow excess steam and moisture to escape.
- Combine the eggplant with raisins, Pecorino Romano, egg yolks, oregano, 100 g all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until the flour is fully incorporated and the mixture holds together.
- Rest the mixture briefly if needed, then shape it into even croquettes.
- Set up a three-stage breading station with the reserved 60 g all-purpose flour, the beaten whole egg wash, and Panko or fine breadcrumbs.
- Dredge each croquette in flour, coat completely in egg wash, then press into Panko or breadcrumbs for an even crust.
- Deep-fry in neutral oil until crisp, evenly golden, and hot through. Drain well before plating.
- For the coulis, peel and deseed the red bell peppers, then blend with the canned peeled tomatoes until smooth.
- Strain the coulis for a velvety restaurant-style texture and serve the croquettes over a pool of sauce.
Service Suggestions
- Serve 2-3 croquettes per appetizer portion.
- Plate over warm red bell pepper and tomato coulis.
- Panko gives a lighter, more open crunch; fine breadcrumbs give a tighter traditional crust.
- Finish with a small Pecorino shaving or micro herbs for refined presentation.
Dietary / HACCP Notes
- Vegetarian; contains egg, milk, wheat, and gluten.
- Keep raw egg wash separate from the cooked croquette mixture and ready-to-eat garnishes.
- Drain fried croquettes well and hold above 140 F / 60 C if they must be held hot for service.
- Cool and reheat under the kitchen HACCP plan if producing in advance.
| Calories | 290 kcal |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 95 mg |
| Sodium | 420 mg |