Roasted Eggplant Stuffed With Beef

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 (16 ounce) eggplants
• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400.
• 2 pierce eggplants in 2 or 3 places and place on baking sheet.
• 3 roast for 20 minutes or until tender, turning once or twice.
• 4 when cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise an scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2 to 1/4 inch shell.
• 5 set shells aside. chop pulp and let drain in a colander in the sink.
• 6 heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• 7 add onion and bell pepper, cook for 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• 8 add garlic and beef, stirring to crumble the beef, for 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
• 9 stir in eggplant pulp, oregano, and tomato sauce.
• 10 reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until thick.
• 11 stir in 1/4 cup cheese, salt, and black pepper.
• 12 place the eggplant shells on a baking sheet and evenly divide the beef mixture among them.
• 13 sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
• 14 roast for 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.