Florentine Meatballs with Renaissance Spices

In these unusual meatballs, whose origins go back 500 years, the beef is bound with oatmeal and cooked aubergine, then seasoned with coriander, giving a fluffy texture and slightly nutty flavour. Grilling rather than frying the aubergine dramatically reduces the amount of oil it absorbs, avoiding the more conventional—and tedious—process of salting it before frying.