STUFFED BABY EGGPLANT WITH SPICED GROUND BEEF, BULGUR AND PINE NUTS
Stuffed Baby Eggplant with Spiced Ground Beef, Bulgur and Pine Nuts
YIELD: 4 Servings
PREP: 25 mins
COOK: 50 mins
READY IN: 1 hr 15 mins
from: The Mediterranean Dish
Ingredients
2 eggplants halved, salted
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 medium yellow onion shredded
3/4 pound ground beef or turkey, or lamb
1 teaspoon ground allspice divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon divided
1/4 cup bulgur extra-fine, soaked in ¼ cup hot water for 10 minutes, then drained
1/2 cup parsley fresh
1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
15 ounce tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 red onion sliced into rings
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the eggplant, flesh side up on a large tray. Sprinkle flesh with salt and set aside for 20 minutes so that the eggplant “sweats” its bitter juices.
Over the sink, gently squeeze the eggplant to extract bitter juices. Wipe dry.
Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil. Cut 3 slits into the eggplant flesh, then brush generously with olive oil. Lay on the prepared tray, flesh side down. Drizzle more olive oil on top. Roast in oven for 30 minutes until flesh is tender.
While eggplant is roasting, make the meat stuffing mixture. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add ground beef, onions and garlic. Brown beef mixture, season with salt and pepper, ½ teaspoon allspice, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
Remove from heat. Add parsley and pine nuts, give mixture a good stir.
Remove eggplant from oven. Lower oven temp to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce and water. Place red onions on the bottom of a casserole dish, top with ½ the tomato sauce mixture.
Arrange the roasted eggplant on top. Gently push the eggplant flesh down to make room for the meat mixture. Fill eggplants with meat mixture.
Top with remaining tomato sauce. Cover casserole with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes .
Serve warm with your choice of plain yogurt. Don’t forget some pita bread or crusty bread to sop up the goodness!