A Vegetarian Pandemic Creation

So, what do you do in a pandemic when you’re spending all your time at home? Besides the usual, reading, laundry, watching endless hours of television and checking Facebook, I invent recipes. My mind starts thinking of the possibilities, to figure out what the heck I can do what’s in my refrigerator, or to just come up with something different. Like most Italians I can make a meal out of a few items in my pantry or refrigerator. A box of spaghetti, olive oil, garlic and a little black pepper and you have spaghetti all’olio; add some minced clams, red pepper flakes, parsley and it becomes spaghetti with clams (spaghetti alle vongole). Chicken broth with soup noodles (broken up thin spaghetti works too) with a beaten egg and grated cheese slowly added to hot broth becomes chicken Stracciatella soup.

One day last month I started thinking about my recipe for Polpette di Melanzane, the recipe for the vegetarian “meatballs” I made for February’s Rotary “Mangia with Micheline Dinner”. Because I’m not a vegetarian, I’ve never tried the commercial brands but my Polpette di Melanzane received rave reviews that night. My mind started thinking about ways to change the technique and the ingredients to turn it into a vegetarian burger. So, I added a few different ingredients, changed the type of cheese, pan roasted eggplant then oven fried the burgers. That afternoon, I served them with lettuce, tomato, a drizzle of virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze on a soft roll. My captive taste tester gave his standard comment “it’s okay” which translates into “it’s good”. When he asked for a second sandwich, I knew he liked them. I made 8 burgers out of the recipe and two meals.

Several days later I turned the patties into a completely different dish. I had some red peppers which I roasted on the stove to flavor a sauce, a few herbs, spices, tomatoes and I had a spicy base for a new dish. I added the patties, cover them with sauce, top them with Gorgonzola cheese. Both recipes are keepers.

Polpette Vegetariano con Gorgonzola

Vegetarian Patties with Gorgonzola

1 medium eggplant

1 tablespoon virgin olive oil

1 small zucchini, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

2 tablespoons diced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

1 cup cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

1/2 cup chopped black olives

1 egg

11/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Approximately 3/4 cup fine breadcrumbs, mixed with 2 tablespoons grated cheese and dried parsley

Peel eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil and pan roast until eggplant is soft. Stir eggplant occasionally to prevent sticking. When eggplant is soft, add zucchini and onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Zucchini should still be on the firm side. Remove to large bowl. Heat beans and drain most of the water, mash beans about 1/4 cup at a time and add to eggplant mixture. Add gorgonzola cheese, olives, garlic, pepper and panko crumbs and egg. Make into patties and press into the fine breadcrumb mixture. Place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil. Spray the tops of the patties also. Bake in 375* oven for 15 minutes, then flip over and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.

 Polpette Vegetariano con Gorgonzola con Salsa

Vegetarian Patties with Gorgonzola in spicy sauce

Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons diced onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon each died parsley & basil (if using fresh 1 tablespoon each)

1/4 cup roasted red pepper cut into small slices

2 cups crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup white wine

Vegetarian Patties (recipe above)

Sauté onions, garlic, herbs until onions are soft and garlic is golden, add roasted peppers and simmer a few more minutes. Add the wine and tomatoes and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the patties, cover them with sauce, top them with Gorgonzola cheese. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat until heated through, about 20 minutes