Once upon a time there were meat burger, then came those of fish, then those of legumes and again those of vegetables. About the latter, one of the most gluttonous is certainly the one based on eggplant, a “fleshy” and full of flavor vegetable. A perfect idea for vegatarians but also for those who are sometimes looking for an alternative to meat.
What you need to make eggplant burgers
To prepare six eggplant burgers or so get yourself a large eggplant, an egg, grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, stale bread or sandwich bread, milk, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, aromatic herbs such as basil or parsley.
How to cook eggplant
The first thing you need to do to prepare these burgers is to cook the eggplant. Wash it, dry it, remove the ends and cut it into cubes. Then let it cook in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a clove of garlic for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, let it cool.
The dough
Now moisten the bread with a little milk, add the egg, a little breadcrumbs, parmesan, aubergines, chopped aromatic herbs. Salt, pepper and work the ingredients until you get a homogeneous mixture. The result must be a firm, compact and non-sticky compound. If not, add some breadcrumbs.
The burgers
Now divide the dough into six balls and then flatten them to obtain the shape of a hamburger (you can help yourself with a pastry ring). You can cook your burgers in a pan with a drizzle of oil by turning them on both sides until golden brown or in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.
How to serve eggplant burgers
You can serve the aubergine burgers accompanied by a fresh lettuce or spinach salad or with a diced vegetables sauté in a pan. Or you can enclose them inside a sandwich with a slice of stringy cheese such as mozzarella or scamorza or with sauces such as guacamole.
