Name: Pilloni’s eggplant cutlet with spicy tomato sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 eggplant, sides trimmed, halved lengthways; 40 gm white miso; Vegetable oil, for deep-frying; Spicy tomato sauce; 250 gm cherry tomatoes; 1 long red chilli, seeds removed; 8 basil leaves, plus extra to serve; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; Batter; 100 gm chickpea flour; 170 ml sparkling water; 150 gm panko breadcrumbs

“This is one of our most popular dishes at Pilloni and one we came up with while thinking about all the vegetarians and vegans who might come to our restaurant. It’s a dish we’re really proud of and, even better, it doesn’t cost a lot to make,” says chef Pietro Segalini.

Ingredients

2 eggplant, sides trimmed, halved lengthways

40 gm white miso

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Spicy tomato sauce

250 gm cherry tomatoes

1 long red chilli, seeds removed

8 basil leaves, plus extra to serve

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Batter

100 gm chickpea flour

170 ml sparkling water

150 gm panko breadcrumbs

Method

Preheat a lightly greased barbecue or char-grill pan to high. Cook eggplant, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and just cooked but still holds its shape (10-12 minutes). Set aside on a wire rack. Place miso and a little water in a small bowl and whisk to form a paste. Brush paste over both sides of eggplant. Stand until cooled and ready to use.

For spicy tomato sauce, place all ingredients in a blender and blend until combined; season to taste.

For batter, place flour and sparkling water in a large bowl, and whisk until combined. Refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.

Heat a large saucepan half full with vegetable oil to 180˚C. Dip eggplant in batter, then into crumbs. Deep-fry, in batches, if necessary, until golden and crisp and eggplant is cooked (5-6 minutes). Drain on paper towel and season. Cut into 2cm-thick strips.

Divide spicy tomato sauce among plates and top with eggplant. Scatter with basil leaves and drizzle with extra olive oil to serve.

Recipe by Pietro Segalini Chef

Pietro Segalini is head chef at Brisbane Sardinian restaurant Pilloni.

Photography by Markus Ravik Photographer

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Ingredients

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