Stuffed Italian Eggplant
Serves: 4
Halle Leffler
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
48
Spice
55
Sweetness
54
Sourness
39
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.4
Difficulty
Ingredients:
3 tbsps
Olive Oil3 cup
Water2 tbsps
Tomato Paste1 tsp
Sugar1 tsp
Salt1 cup
Basil (chopped fresh)1 cup
White Rice (long-grain)1 cup
Whole Milk2 large
Egg (lightly beaten)1 tsp
Black Pepper2 cups
Vegetable OilDirections:
1
Make sauce: Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, then finely chop
2
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
3
Add tomatoes with reserved juice, water, tomato paste, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil
4
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes
5
Stir in basil
6
Drain tomatoes, reserving juice, then finely chop
7
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
8
Add tomatoes with reserved juice, water, tomato paste, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil
9
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes
10
Stir in basil
11
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
12
Prick eggplants all over with a fork
13
Boil eggplants, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes
14
Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain and discard cooking water
15
When eggplants are cool enough to handle (after about 15 minutes), halve eggplants lengthwise through stem (keep stem attached)
16
With a small sharp knife, scoop out and reserve flesh, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells
17
Very finely chop flesh and transfer to a large bowl
18
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
19
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes
20
Fluff rice with a fork and add to chopped eggplant
21
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
22
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
23
Sprinkle inside of eggplant shells with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
24
Firmly pack a scant 1/3-cup eggplant stuffing into each eggplant shell
25
(You may have some stuffing left over
26
) Bring a 5- to 6-quart pot of salted water to a boil over moderately high heat
27
Prick eggplants all over with a fork
28
Boil eggplants, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes
29
Transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander to drain and discard cooking water
30
When eggplants are cool enough to handle (after about 15 minutes), halve eggplants lengthwise through stem (keep stem attached)
31
With a small sharp knife, scoop out and reserve flesh, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells
32
Very finely chop flesh and transfer to a large bowl
33
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
34
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes
35
Fluff rice with a fork and add to chopped eggplant
36
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
37
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
38
Sprinkle inside of eggplant shells with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper
39
Firmly pack a scant 1/3-cup eggplant stuffing into each eggplant shell
40
(You may have some stuffing left over
41
) Fry and bake eggplants: Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F
42
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
43
Fry, turning over once using 2 slotted spoons, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes total
44
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
45
Spoon sauce into a 3-quart (about 13- by 9-inch) nonreactive baking dish
46
Add eggplants, stuffing sides up, and bake, covered with foil, until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes
47
Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F
48
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
49
Fry, turning over once using 2 slotted spoons, until golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes total
50
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
51
Spoon sauce into a 3-quart (about 13- by 9-inch) nonreactive baking dish
52
Add eggplants, stuffing sides up, and bake, covered with foil, until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes