Stuffed eggplants
Stuffed vegetables, like these eggplants, are a reassuring presence: they can be prepared in advance and baked in the oven while you are taking care of something else, from writing to playing with your children, from gardening to cleaning the mess you made during the day.
Servings 4 people as a main course
Ingredients
- 4 medium eggplants
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 500 grams (1.1 lb) ground beef
- 200 grams (7 oz) fresh Italian pork sausages
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for sprinkling over the eggplants
- 1 tablespoon grated Provolone
- A handful of fresh mint leaves
- A handful of basil leaves
- Fine sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 150 grams (5 oz) cherry tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
Instructions
- Halve the eggplants lengthwise and empty them with a sharp knife. Use a spoon to scoop out their pulp. You should obtain a 5 mm thick shell.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F and arrange the eggplants on a tray lined with parchment paper. Brush them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes, until soft and golden.
- Pour a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a pan and add the minced garlic clove. Next, add the finely chopped eggplant pulp and sprinkle with salt: this will help the eggplants cook without burning as it will help them release some water.
- Sauté on medium-low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes, until the eggplant pulp is cooked through. Set aside.
- In a bowl, collect the ground beef and the sausage without the case. Add the cooked eggplant pulp, the Parmigiano Reggiano and the provolone, the chopped mint and basil leaves, and mix thoroughly with your hands. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add a beaten egg, then mix again.
- Fill up the eggplant shells with the ground meat stuffing and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Arrange the eggplant boats in a tray. Dice the cherry tomatoes, slice the red onion, and then scatter them around the eggplants—season with salt and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
- Roast them in the hot oven for about 35 minutes, until golden brown.
- Serve the eggplants hot or warm, topped with the caramelized cherry tomatoes and onions.
- The day after, the eggplants are even better. Just warm them up in the oven.
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