Stuffed Baby Eggplants Recipes

Steps:

• Cut each eggplant in half. Once halved, carefully hollow out each eggplant by slicing the interior flesh of the eggplant into medium-sized cubes.
• Once cubed, use a spoon to gently remove each cube - then use the spoon to hollow out the remainder of the eggplant. (Tip: Ensure you hollow out the interior of each eggplant, without slicing off the top or bottom of the eggplant itself. You essentially want to make a boat out of your eggplant).
• Place the removed flesh of the eggplant into a food processor. Then, add each ingredient into the food processor with the removed eggplant flesh.
• Process all ingredients into a stuffing consistency, which generally requires about 5-8 medium/long pulses (make sure you still have texture: don't process into a paste).
• Add 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil to a cast-iron skillet or frying span. Heat on medium and add the stuffing from the food processor to the pan.
• Spoon the stuffing you've made in the food processor into the frying pan and saute on a medium-low flame for approximately 8-10 minutes. Once this is done cooking, allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Place your hollowed out eggplant onto a baking sheet that has been lightly greased with extra virgin olive oil. Brush the eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Once seasoned, spoon the finished stuffing into each eggplant, until full but not overflowing. Top each eggplant with shredded mozzarella and 2 tbsp of marinara sauce.
• Next, add 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken stock and 2 heaping tbsp of Pinot Grigio to the base of the pan, underneath each eggplant.
• Place into a 425 °F for 25-30 Minutes or until the eggplants have cooked down and develop a well-roasted skin.
• When nearly finished, place the eggplants under a low broiler for 10 minutes, until golden-brown and bubbly.
• Garnish with a little more fresh basil, parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare eggplants by slicing them in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out the inside of the eggplant and cut into cubes.
• Lay cubes on several paper towels and squeeze any moisture out of them by hand.
• Boil shells in a large stockpot for 2 minutes and allow to cool.
• Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a hot skillet. Add eggplant, onion, and garlic and saute.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir the saute mixture into the remaining ingredients and combine well. Add a second tablespoon of water if mixture is too dry. If mixture is too loose, add more bread crumbs.
• Fill the cooled eggplant shells with the mixture.
• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a hot skillet. Place eggplants top side down in skillet and brown over medium heat.
• Place browned stuffed baby eggplants in a baking dish.
• Drizzle with remaining olive oil and bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, add oil. Add the onions, garlic, and salt. Sweat for 3 minutes or until vegetables are translucent and aromatic. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8 hours over low heat, stirring occasionally. Check seasoning.
• Cut eggplants in half, scoop out seeds, and sprinkle with salt, cut side up. Place the eggplant halves on a baking sheet and let sit for 1 hour. Place 1 1/2 ounces of sausage in each eggplant half. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Top each eggplant with some tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. Place back into oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise then make shallow cuts in cut side at 1/2-inch intervals.
• Brush cut sides with 1 teaspoon olive oil and place eggplants, cut-side down, on greased baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until tender with fork, remove from oven to cool and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat until hot.
• Add garlic, onion and red pepper; sauté for one minute until tender.
• Next, add rice through tomatoes, stir together well.
• Scoop out eggplant pulp from each halve leaving 1/2-inch thick shells and set shells aside.
• Chop pulp, add to rice mixture and mix well.
• Spoon mixture evenly into eggplant shells, sprinkle with cheese, cover and bake for 20 minutes.
• Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Garnish with more fresh basil and feta cheese, if desired.

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, then finely chop. Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, stirring, until golden, 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.
• Boil eggplants and make filling while sauce simmers:
• Bring a 5- to 6-quart pot of salted water to a boil over moderately high heat.
• Prick eggplants all over with a fork. Boil eggplants, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain and discard cooking water. When eggplants are cool enough to handle (after about 15 minutes), halve eggplants lengthwise through stem (keep stem attached). With a small sharp knife, scoop out and reserve flesh, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Very finely chop flesh and transfer to a large bowl.
• Bring rice and water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, then reduce heat and simmer rice, covered, until water has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and add to chopped eggplant.
• While rice cooks, combine bread and milk in a small bowl and let stand until bread has absorbed milk, then gently squeeze bread, discarding any milk.
• Add bread to rice mixture along with garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine well.
• Sprinkle inside of eggplant shells with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Firmly pack a scant 1/3-cup eggplant stuffing into each eggplant shell. (You may have some stuffing left over.)
• Fry and bake eggplants:
• Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Heat 1 inch vegetable oil in a 10-inch cast-iron or other deep heavy skillet over moderate heat until thermometer reaches 320°F and add 2 eggplant halves, stuffing sides up. Fry, turning over once using 2 slotted spoons, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer, stuffing sides up, to paper towels to drain, then fry remaining eggplants, 2 halves at a time, in same manner, returning oil to 320°F between batches.
• Spoon sauce into a 3-quart (about 13- by 9-inch) nonreactive baking dish. Add eggplants, stuffing sides up, and bake, covered with foil, until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.