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Stuffed Baby Eggplant

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Rate this recipe 4.5/5 (2 Votes)

Ingredients

  • Tomato Sauce:
  • 28 ounce can whole tomatoes in juice, preferably San Marzano
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • Eggplant and Stuffing:
  • 4 pounds small baby eggplants with stem attached
  • 1/2 cup long grain rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups vegetable oil

Details

Adapted from foodista.com

Preparation

Step 1

To Make Sauce: Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, then finely chop. Heat oil in a 4 – 5 quart heavy pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, stirring until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, water, tomato paste, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in basil.

To Make Eggplants and Stuffing:
1. Bring a 5 – 6 quart pot of salted water to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil eggplants, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a pairing knife, 20 – 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplants to a colander to drain. Discard cooking water.
2. When eggplants are cool enough to handle, about 15 – 20 minutes, halve eggplants lengthwise through the stem, but keeping the stem attached. With a small knife cut around the edges of the eggplant with a pairing knife and scoop out and reserve flesh, leaving 1/4-inch thick shells. Very finely chop flesh and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Bring rice and water to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan, uncovered, then reduce heat and simmer rice, covered, until water has be absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and add to the chopped eggplant.
4. Add breadcrumbs to the rice and eggplant mixture along with the garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine well.
5. Sprinkle inside of eggplant shells with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Firmly pack the stuffing into the eggplant shells, about 1/3-cup. (You will probably have some stuffing leftover.)
6. Position oven rack in the middle and preheat oven to 375°F.
7. Heat 1 inch vegetable oil in a large 3–4 quart heavy skillet over medium heat until a thermometer reaches 320°F. Add 4–5 eggplant halves, stuffing side up. Fry, turning over once using 2 slotted spoons until golden brown, about 3 – 5 minutes on each side. Transfer stuffing side up to a paper towel lined plate to drain, then fry remaining eggplant halves in the same manner, returning oil to 320°F between batches.
8. Spoon sauce into a 3-quart (13×9-inch) nonreactive baking dish. Add eggplants, stuffing sides up and bake, covered with foil, until sauce is bubbling, 20–30 minutes.

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