Polpette al Sugo (Meatballs in Tomato Sauce) vs Crispy Greek Eggplant Fritters

Both dishes bind their mixtures with egg and breadcrumbs and lean on onion, garlic, parsley and olive oil, yet they land in very different places. The polpette combine beef, milk-soaked breadcrumbs and Parmesan, are browned, then simmered slowly in crushed tomatoes until tender and finished with torn basil. The fritters use roasted, pressed eggplant brightened by mint and salty feta, dredged in flour and fried until golden and crisp. Olive oil browns the meatballs but deep-fries the fritters: one soft and saucy, the other crunchy and herb-forward.