Stuffed Melanzane

Cook Time 1hr 20 mins
Servings 2-4

Ingredients

2 x small eggplants 

Sauce
500ml good quality passata
Half an onion, chopped 
1 garlic clove (minced)
1 cup white wine
½ cup water
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Handful of fresh basil

Stuffing mix
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
250 grams of veal and pork mix mince 
3/4 cup finely grated parmesan 
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 egg
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper
Flesh of eggplants 

Topping
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup chopped parsley
½ cup finely grated parmesan
Olive oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

To make the sauce, cook onion and garlic in 2 tbs olive oil on a med/low heat. When the onion is translucent add the passata, wine and water and simmer for 30 minutes stirring regularly. When the sauce has reduced slightly add salt and pepper to taste and stir in a handful of fresh basil. Set aside until ready to use.

To make the eggplants, cut off the green top of the eggplants and half lengthways. Scoop out white flesh and reserve, leaving a 1cm thick shell.

Boil salted water and cook reserved flesh for 8-10 minutes, strain in a colander and mash the flesh with a fork making sure to squash out any water. Cool slightly before you prepare the filling. Combine mince, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, garlic, egg and cooked eggplant flesh- mix thoroughly in a bowl using your hands. Add salt and pepper to taste and if the mixture is too wet add some extra breadcrumbs or if too dry add some water. Stuff each eggplant with 1/4 of the mix so they are tightly packed.

Put a thin layer of sauce and oil on the bottom of the pan and place eggplants on top. Cover the eggplants with the remaining sauce and cook in a 180°C oven for 40 minutes. Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley and parmesan together for the topping. After 40 minutes in the oven, sprinkle the breadcrumb topping mix on each eggplant and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook a further 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.