002 Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant (Professional Restaurant Recipe)

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey reduces fat while maintaining flavor.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds umami.

pine nuts

🥗Healthier: sliced almonds

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Sliced almonds provide crunch at a lower cost.

tomato sauce

🥗Healthier: homemade tomato puree

💰Cheaper: canned tomatoes

Canned tomatoes are more affordable and versatile.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).

Line a baking dish with baking paper and place coarse salt into it.

Slice the eggplants in half and drizzle with olive oil, then place them cut side down in the baking dish.

Bake the eggplants in the oven for 30 minutes until soft.

Turn the eggplants over and let them cool completely before scooping out the flesh.

In a hot pan, add about 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and sliced fennel bulbs.

Add about 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt to the fennel, and let it caramelize without stirring too much.

After a few minutes, add chopped onion and a whole red chili (seeds removed) on top of the fennel without stirring.

After 3 minutes, stir the mixture and continue cooking until the onions are caramelized, about 10 minutes.

If needed, pile the onions to the edge of the pan to prevent burning while cooking.

Chop 4 basil leaves and set aside for later.

Add soaked anchovies, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of pine nuts to the pan.

Add 20 grams of raisins and 2 ounces of microwaved white wine to the pan and cook until the mixture is dry.

Once dry, turn off the heat but leave the pan on the hot burner to finish drying out.

Add freshly grated orange zest and the chopped basil to the mixture.

Scoop out the pulp from the cooled eggplants, being careful not to weaken the walls too much.

Place the eggplant pulp in a food processor and blend into a paste.

Combine the eggplant paste with the contents from the pan, adding 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs, 1 egg yolk, and fresh ground black pepper.

Spread a little tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

Divide the filling into four equal parts and mound it into the eggplant halves on top of the sauce.

Drizzle a little more tomato sauce over the top of the stuffed eggplants without overwhelming them.

Bake in the oven at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes, checking for doneness at 25 minutes.

Grate more parmesan cheese over the top after removing from the oven.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens