Lidias Stuffed Eggplant Recipes

MOM'S STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the center, leaving enough meat inside the skin so that it holds its shape when baked. Boil the scooped-out center part until very soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the seasoned ground beef to the pan and saute until all of its liquid is evaporated and the beef begins to brown slightly. Drain the beef, removing the extra, unnecessary fat. Let cool briefly and chop the cooked beef so that there are no large chunks of meat. In another medium saute pan over medium heat add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute the onions, peppers and garlic together.
• In a bowl mix together the cooked eggplant, vegetables, cooked beef, herbs, 1 cup of the cheese, bread crumbs, and the egg.
• Fill the scooped-out eggplant halves with this mixture, dividing it evenly among the 2 halves.
• Top with chopped tomatoes and the remaining 1/4 cup of grated cheese, season with salt and pepper, place on an oiled oven tray or baking dish, and bake for 50 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool briefly, slice widthwise and serve.

LIDIA BASTANICH'S BAKED EGGPLANT IN TOMATO SAUCE (MELANZANE IN T

Steps:

• Trim the stem and bottom ends of each eggplant and, with a vegetable peeler, shave off ribbons of skin lengthwise, creating a zebra-striped pattern all around. Slice the eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Lightly salt the slices on both sides, using about a tablespoon in all, and layer them in a colander, set in a bowl or the sink. Invert a dinner plate over the piled slices, and weight it with cans or other heavy objects. Let the rounds drain for 30 minutes to an hour, then rinse them, and pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven, and heat to 400 degrees F.
• Put the tomato sauce in a bowl, and stir in the olives, sliced pepperoncini capers, and basil. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a baking dish (I used a 9 X 9 dish, but the extra thick layers required an extra 20 minutes of baking time). Lay in half the eggplant slices in a single layer, overlapping if necessary. Drop spoonfuls of tomato sauce, another 1/2 cup total, on top of the eggplant layer, and sprinkle over it half the grated cheese. Lay in the remaining eggplant rounds in an even layer, spoon and spread the remaining sauce over them, and scatter the rest of the cheese all over the top.
• Tent the baking dish with a sheet of heavy aluminum foil, arching it so it doesn't touch the cheese topping, pressing it against the sides. Set the dish on a baking sheet, place in the oven, and bake for 45 minutes, until the juices are bubbling actively. Remove the foil, and continue baking for another 15 minutes or so, until the cheese topping is golden brown and eggplant is caramelized on the edges yet tender and easily pierced with the tip of knife.
• Let the eggplant rest for 20 minutes (to absorb the sauce). Cut portions with a knife, and lift them out with a wide spatula into warm shallow bowls.

MEAT-STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh to make a shell about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Finely chop the flesh and set aside.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the onion, and cook until it begins to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Crumble in the ground beef, and pour the wine over the meat. Cook, breaking up the beef with the back of a wooden spoon, until the meat releases its juices and they then cook away, about 6 or 7 minutes. Add the bell pepper and chopped eggplant, and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Scrape into a bowl to cool.
• Pour the milk over the bread cubes in a small bowl. Once the bread has softened, squeeze out the excess milk and put the bread in the bowl with the cooled meat filling. Add the grated cheese, parsley, egg, and tomatoes, and mix well.
• Put the eggplant halves in a large baking dish, and drizzle with the remaining 4 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon salt, and toss well to coat all of the eggplant with the oil. Fill the eggplant halves with the filling, and arrange snugly in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil, and bake until the eggplant is tender all the way through, about 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, and bake until the top of the filling is browned and crispy, about 10 minutes more.