This is a gorgeous way to deal with stuffed eggplant. I have tried others, but this is the best ever.
Stuffed Eggplant (Papoutsakia)
This Peloponnese-style dish finds eggplant stuffed with ground beef and tomatoes and topped with a cheesy béchamel. The recipe comes is from Susanna Hoffman's The Olive and the Caper (Workman, 2004).
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Credit: Penny De Los Santos
Ingredients
6 small eggplants (about 3⁄4 or 1 lb. each)3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, minced
3⁄4 lb. ground beef, pork, or lamb
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups crushed tomatoes
3⁄4 cups dry red wine
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄8 tsp. ground cloves
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1⁄2 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 1⁄2 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
instructions
1. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and, using a spoon, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a 1⁄2"-thick eggplant shell; coarsely chop scooped-out flesh and set aside. Working in 2 batches, heat 1⁄4 cup oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant shells and cook, turning once, until browned and just wilted, about 5 minutes. Transfer eggplant shells to paper towels; set aside.2. Discard oil and wipe out skillet. Heat 1⁄4 cup oil in skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and onions and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add meat, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in reserved eggplant flesh, tomatoes, wine, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves; season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set meat sauce aside.
3. Heat butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and slightly toasted, 1–2 minutes. Add milk; cook, whisking often, until sauce coats the back of a spoon, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat, add 3⁄4 cup cheese and egg yolks; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir béchamel until smooth; set aside.
4. Heat oven to 350˚. Put eggplant shells cut side up in a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Sprinkle shells with half the remaining cheese and fill each with reserved meat sauce. Spoon béchamel over top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until eggplants are tender, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to broil and cook until béchamel is golden brown and bubbly, about 5 minutes more.
Pairing Note: An excellent choice for this hearty and rustic dish is the 2006 Domaine Mercouri Estate Red ($22), made from refosco grapes. —David Rosengarten
Ratings & Reviews (8)
This came out beautifully, almost exactly like I had homecooked in Athens :) I used Italian eggplants and they are just the right size, and I used ground lamb because it's cheap here. Served with greek salad and the rest of the wine. DEFINITELY making again.
It's a very time-consuming recipe but it was very good. With my Greek husband's advice (after reading the recipe), I doubled the oregano, cinnamon and cloves.
Always get nervous adding what I associate to be Thanksgiving baking spices to savory recipes in non-fall months, but this had a very pleasant outcome. There is some work involved but oh so worth it. Had a little ragu left over and served it with linguine the next night.
Made this with sauce leftover from some pastitisio. Added the eggplant to the sauce as it heated then followed the recipe as written. It was delicious with eggplant fresh from my garden. Can't wait for more eggplant to ripen.
I have a nightshade allergy, so instead of eggplant I make this with huge, end-of-summer zucchini. It's still fantastic, one of my favorite comfort dishes for summer and early fall.
Excellent way to make moussaka, my husband absolutely loves this, japanese eggplant is the best way to make it, I froze some japanese eggplant from the summer scooped out the inside and froze then just followed the recipe, perfection!!!!!!
Didn't work for me. Heavy, without flavour payoff.
Stuffed Eggplant (Papoutsakia)
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