Albergínies Farcides Mallorquines

Albergínies farcides are Mallorcan, summer aubergines filled the island way: boiled first, hollowed clean, stuffed with a pork sofrito, scented with moraduix, marjoram, and finished under galleta picada or breadcrumbs. Not a cheese-topped gratin. Not a clever little bite pretending to be from nowhere. This is Mallorca's aubergine dish, tal como se hace allí.

The method that decides it is the first pot of water. You boil the aubergines until the flesh gives but the skin still stands, then you drain them well before the filling ever touches them. Raw or undercooked aubergine tears when you scoop it. Overcooked aubergine slumps in the dish. Get that middle point and the rest is ordinary cooking: a slow onion base, pork browned gently, tomato cooked down until sweet, crumbs over the top.

If you're far from Mallorca, no hace falta haber pisado España. Use firm medium globe aubergines, not the huge tired ones with cottony flesh. If you can't find galleta picada, fine dry breadcrumbs work; they make a lighter top, less island in taste, but still right. Fresh moraduix is best, dried marjoram is honest, and parsley with the smallest pinch of oregano will get you through. Pésalo, no lo adivines. The dish is generous, but it still likes a steady hand.