Stuffed Eggplant Recipe

Stuffed eggplant! My family absolutely LOVES this recipe,

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1  large eggplant
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1⁄2 lb ground beef (ground turkey also works great)
•  salt and pepper
• 1  small onion, diced
• 1  small  red pepper, diced
• 1  small green pepper, diced
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried parsley or 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil or 1⁄2 cup fresh basil
• 1 1⁄4 cups  grated pecorino romano cheese, divided
• 1⁄4 cup  breadcrumbs
• 1  egg
• 2  small chopped tomatoes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. 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 10-12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan, heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium heat. Season the beef (or turkey) 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 fat. Let cool briefly and chop the cooked beef so that there are no large chunks of meat. In another pan (or the same one you just used, minus the beef) add the remaining olive oil and saute the onions, peppers and garlic together.
4. In a bowl mix together the cooked eggplant, vegetables, cooked beef, herbs, 1 cup of the cheese, bread crumbs, and the egg.
5. Fill the scooped-out eggplant halves with this mixture, dividing it evenly among the 2 halves.
6. 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 30 minutes, or until eggplant is soft. Let cool briefly, slice widthwise, and serve.