Stuffed Eggplant
Stuffed eggplant with breadcrumbs, tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, mint, and two types of cheese are easy to make and full of rich Sicilian flavor.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the eggplant
- 3 medium eggplant
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 small anchovy fillets
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup scamorza cheese cubed
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano grated
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup basil minced
- 6 small mint leaves minced
- 1/4 cup raisins soaked in water
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375f and set rack to middle level.
- Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and score the inside of the flesh with a sharp knife, being careful to not go through the skin. Coat each cut eggplant piece with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Place the eggplant pieces cut side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- While the eggplant is baking, heat a large pan to medium heat with the remaining extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and saute until soft (about 5-7 minutes).
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic and anchovies. Break up the anchovies with a wooden spoon and cook the garlic until golden (about 2-3 minutes). Add the hot red pepper and cook for 30 more seconds. Next, add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer for around 10 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the breadcrumbs, raisins, pine nuts, Scamorza, Pecorino, basil, and mint.
- Once the eggplants are very tender, remove them from the oven and let cool. Once able to handle, gently scoop out the inside of the flesh and add it to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix well then taste test. Season with salt and pepper to taste then mix the egg in.
- Season the inside of the eggplants with salt to taste, then stuff them with the mixture, piling high if necessary, and place onto a baking sheet. Drizzle a bit of olive oil onto each eggplant and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. For added color, broil for the last 1-2 minutes but watch carefully. Enjoy!
Notes
- Larger eggplants can take a very long time to cook. Just continue to cook until the eggplant is fork-tender before scooping out the inside of the eggplant.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.5g | Protein: 15.6g | Fat: 37.8g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 950mg | Fiber: 11.6g | Sugar: 19.4g | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg