Summer Canderli

Serves 4

For the dumplings

• 2 medium aubergines

• 400 g di stale bread, diced

• 200 ml milk

• 2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

• 50 g grated parmigiano cheese

• breadcrumbs

• 1 garlic clove

• salt and pepper

• fresh basil leaves

For the roasted tomato cream sauce

• 500 g cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 garlic clove

• 1 tbsp sugar

• oregano and fresh basil leaves

• salt and pepper

• extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 200° C. Place the tomatoes in a baking sheeet, season with salt, pepper and sugar, sprinkle with the sliced garlic, the herbs, then drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes. With an immersion blender or a mixer, blend the roasted tomatoes until smooth. Wash the aubergines and cut them into cubes, put them in a cooking pan with some extra virgin olive oil, the garlic clove, a pinch of salt, cook until soft.

Put the stale bread into a large mixing bowl, add the milk and let it rest until soft. Add the aubergines, the eggs, the grated cheese, a sprinkle of nutmeg, a pinch of salt and pepper, some chopped fresh basil leaves and about 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Mix until well combined. With your moist hands, form the canederli.

Place the balls gently in a pot of boiling salted water (or vegetable stock) and cook for about 12-15 minutes, then drain them gently. Serve the canederli with the roasted tomatoes cream sauce and finish with some fresh basil leaves.