Turkish Stuffed Eggplant Bake
Ingredients
- 6 medium eggplants
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 500 grams ground meat
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon mixed spices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed chili
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
For serving
- Fried pine nuts
Preparation
Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 180°C
Prepare a medium-sized oven dish suitable for serving
Using a sharp knife, peel the eggplants in stripes without removing the stem
In a deep frying pan, add oil to a depth of about 2 inches and heat over medium heat until hot
Fry the eggplants until golden brown, then place on paper towels to drain excess oil and let cool slightly
Using a sharp knife, make a slit on one side of each eggplant and open slightly to form a pocket for the meat mixture
In a medium pot, add oil and heat over medium heat, then add the meat and stir until all water evaporates
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, chili, paprika, and cumin, then add water and let simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens
Stuff the eggplants with the meat mixture
Place the remaining meat mixture in the dish, arrange the stuffed eggplants on top, sprinkle with cheese, and cover with aluminum foil
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes
Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve with white rice
