Aubergines are at their best from July to September.

Native to India, aubergine has been cultivated there since the prehistory. The aubergine is unrecorded in England until the 16th century.

It’s sometimes recommended salting aubergines to make them ‘sweat’ before cooking to eliminate the excess of water. I don’t do it. I think it’s hassle for nothing.

I prepared a batter to make fritters as I used to eat them since I was a kid but wanting something more sophisticated I added parma ham and cream cheese.

 

Aubergines and parma ham fritters, serves 4.

Ingredients :

• 2 small aubergines washed and cut into stripes lengthwise.
• 2 slices of parma ham
• A few spoons of cream cheese

 

Ingredients for the Batter :

• 100g of flour
• 1 egg
• A pinch of salt
• Half of tsp of baking powder

Method :

Dilute the flour in warm water, add the egg, baking powder and salt.

The batter can be made a few hours in advance.

Place half of a Parma ham slice on each aubergines stripes, spread some cream cheese, roll the aubergines and close them with a wooden stick.

Heat a large amount of oil in a frying pan, plunge the aubergines in the batter and in the oil.

Fry them evenly until golden everywhere, when they are cooked, set them on an absorbent paper, remove the wooden stick and serve with a salad.

If I were you, I would double the recipe as one fritter per person is not enough as it’s so delicious.