Italian
Stuffed Eggplant Boats
by Manu Food · 60K subscribers on YouTube
Baked eggplant boats stuffed with a savory mixture of sausage, provola cheese, breadcrumbs, and herbs, topped with tomato sauce and parmesan. A hearty and flavorful Italian second course.
- Difficulty
- easy
Ingredients
14 items- EggplantsWhole eggplants, cut in half
- SausagePork sausage, casing removed
- BreadcrumbsFresh breadcrumbs, soaked
- ProvolaDiced, divided between filling and topping
- 1 pcsEggOne egg for the filling
- BasilFresh basil leaves, chopped for filling and whole leaf for topping
- SaltTo taste
- PepperFreshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated BreadBreadcrumbs to bind the filling
- ParmigianoGrated Parmesan, for filling and topping
- 2 pcsYellow Cherry Tomatoes(optional) — Yellow cherry tomatoes, optional
- Tomato SaucePre-cooked tomato sauce with olive oil and garlic
- Extra Virgin Olive OilExtra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- GarlicUsed in the tomato sauce
Method
- Wash the eggplants, cut them in half lengthwise (keep the stem on), place them cut-side up on a baking tray drizzled with olive oil.
- Bake at 200°C for about 20 minutes until the flesh is tender.
- Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving the skin intact as a boat. Reserve the flesh.
- Prepare the filling: remove the casing from the sausage and place it in a bowl. Add the soaked breadcrumbs (mollica), the reserved eggplant flesh, diced provola cheese, one egg, chopped basil, salt, and pepper. Mix well with your hands.
- Add some breadcrumbs and grated parmesan to help bind the mixture. Mix again.
- Stuff the eggplant skins with the filling, pressing gently.
- Drizzle a little olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the stuffed eggplants in the dish.
- (Optional) Add a few yellow cherry tomatoes for extra flavor.
- Spoon some pre-cooked tomato sauce (made with olive oil and garlic) over the eggplants.
- Top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a handful of grated parmesan, some provola cheese pieces, and a basil leaf.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30–35 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Serve hot.
