I’ve repeatedly witnessed a phenomenon with this appetizer: People who claim to dislike eggplant, devour it and ask for the recipe. Pre-soak the eggplant in saltwater to prevent it from soaking up copious amounts of oil. This is a terrific appetizer to serve vegans or those with gluten intolerance. The recipe is included in a Molesini Wine Club wine shipment so that members can make the dish to enjoy during their virtual wine tastings.

Italian Eggplant Fries

Serves 4 to 6 

1 eggplant
2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) salt
1 cup (220 grams) ice
1 cup (135 grams) rice flour
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) oregano
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) smoked paprika
grated zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) salt
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) pepper
canola or vegetable oil for frying
marinara, warmed, for serving

Directions 

1. Cut off the ends of the eggplant and then slice off the skin on the two opposite lengthwise sides, leaving the rest of the skin in place. Use a serrated bread knife to slice the eggplant lengthwise, parallel to the cut sides, into 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) slices. Each slice will have skin on the edges. 

2. Fill a large bowl with salt, ice, and enough water to cover the eggplant. Add the eggplant and place a small plate on top to ensure the vegetable is submerged. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4.

3. In a plastic bag large enough to hold the eggplant, combine the rice flour and all seasonings. Shake the bag to blend. Prepare a cookie sheet with paper towels for draining the eggplant after frying. 

4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet for 2 minutes over high temperature. Add oil to 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) depth in the pan and heat. While the oil heats, remove eggplant from water. Shake off excess but do not pat dry. Slice eggplant lengthwise into 1-inch (2.54 centimeters) fries. Place fries in sack with rice flour and shake to coat. When oil is shimmering, test it by dropping a fry into pan. It should sizzle. Add fries but do not crowd; it’s better to fry them in multiple batches. Use tongs to turn fries and cook until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with warm marinara.

About Molesini Wine Club

This recipe was developed for Molesini Wine Club to be included in virtual tasting notes with wine shipments. Molesini Wine Club, based out of Cortona, Tuscany, features Italian wines that are otherwise unavailable outside of Europe. Marco and Paolo Molesini work closely with over 1,000 producers from across the country to ensure they are procuring the top labels from small producers making the finest boutique wines. Explore with them as they lead you through Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, and many lesser-known wine regions of their country. Members can customize shipments, decide on a tier that fits their palate best, and enjoy exclusive access to the most stunning wines of Italy. As a member of the Molesini Wine Club means becoming part of the Molesini family and we invite you to join us for this experience. For more information, please visit the Molesini Wine Club website.