Baked Stuffed Eggplant

Stuffed Eggplants! In Italian style

Includes:

1. History
2. Ingredients
3. Recipe
4. Serving tips

Know me a little, please!

The history of the Italian -style stuffed brinjal (melanzen Ripane) lies deeply in both the Mediterranean Agricultural Tradition and the development of

peasant cuisine. This dish indicates a mixture of the effects of Arabic, Greek and Spanish cuisine, which have been merged into the regional Italian Pak identity for centuries, especially in the southern Italy.

Brinjal (Melanzen) was introduced in southern Europe by Arab traders around 9th to 11th centuries, which were probably under Sicily and Naples, which were under the Arabian and later Norman rule.

Initially found with doubt (some people believed that they cause madness – so the old name “fair Insana,” or “Crazy Apple”), brinjal finally became central for southern Italian cuisine.

Sicily

• Strong Arabic and Spanish effects
• Stuffed brinjals often include pine nuts, raisins and breadcrumbs, highlighting sweet-nuts contrast
• Often cooked in tomato sauce or leveled like a simplified supreme supreme.
• Hardik, rustic style, peckorino cheese, breadcrumbs and herbs with spicy sausages
• Using the developed vegetables and pantry staples in the garden, stuffed brinjals were a major part of the contadini (farmers)

Puglia (Apulia)

• Simple, sometimes vegetarian versions use rikota, herbs and tomatoes
• Often cooked in earthen pots during summer crop

Stuffed eggplant emerged as a “cucina povera” (negative kitchen) recipe: a practical, frugal way to reuse stale bread, leftover veggies, and bits of cheese or meat.The dish developed seasonally and socially—peasants made do with whatever became available, at the same time as wealthier families may comprise meat, prosciutto, or greater refined cheeses

Italian immigrants introduced the dish to America, Argentina, and Australia, adapting it with

domestically to be had components.It is now a symbol of rustic Southern Italian historical past, commonly served in circle of relatives’ gatherings, festivals, and trattorias.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants
• three tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped2–3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (or canned diced tomatoes), chopped
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano¼ cup chopped clean parsley
• 1 egg, lightly crushed
• SaltBlack pepper, to flavor½ tsp oregano (Optional)
• Mozzarella cubes (for topping)

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Prepare stuffed eggplants:

Step 2: Slice them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1 cm of shell to form “boats.”

Step 3: Chop the scooped-out flesh and set apart.

Sauté the filling

Step 4: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft (about 5 mins)

Step 5: Add garlic and prepare dinner in short. Stir inside the chopped eggplant flesh and cook dinner till soft (about 8–10 mins).

Step 6: Add tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes

Mix the Stuffing

Step 7: Transfer the aggregate to a bowl.

Step 8: Add breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, and egg. Mix nicely (should be moist however preserve collectively).

Stuff the Eggplant

Step 9: Pat dry the shells

Step 10: Fill them generously with the stuffing mixture

Step 11: Top with mozzarella if using, then drizzle with remaining olive oil

Step 12: Place in a baking dish with a touch of water or tomato sauce at the lowest. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes

Step 13: Uncover and bake for an additional 15–20 minutes, until golden

Serving Suggestions

• A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

• A fresh inexperienced salad or crusty bread

• A glass of Chianti or every other rustic pink wine