Eggplant Papoutsakia

This Greek stuffed eggplant recipe also known as Papoutsakia, which means little shoes is packed with so much flavor and it will amaze you. The recipe can easily be made vegetarian by substituting the meat for cooked lentils or sautéed mushrooms. It’s an impressive meal you can serve at your next dinner party. Pair it with tzatziki and a Greek salad to make the perfect Greek themed night at home.

Eggplant Papoutsakia

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 4 large eggplants
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 250g ground pork
• 250g ground beef
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 and 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 54g powdered bechamel
• 1 and 1/2 cups coconut milk, or a little more
• 1/3 cup Gruyère or mozzarella cheese, grated

To Serve:

• Fresh ground black pepper
• Finely chopped parsley

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 F or 200 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Slice the eggplant in half, length wise and remove the bottom end. Use a sharp knife to make crisscross in the flesh without tearing the skin and place each eggplant boat on the baking sheet. Spray with olive oil cooking spray and cook for 30 minutes, until they soften.
• When ready, remove the eggplant from the oven and let it cool for 20-30 minutes. Using a spoon, scoop out the eggplant meat. Place the scooped out eggplant boats skin down on a baking sheet over parchment paper. Salt the eggplant boats and set aside. Salt the eggplant meat, chop it up and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic, ground meat, and spices. Sauté for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat so it’s not in large chunks.
• Add the eggplant meat and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and turn the heat low to simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, garnish with parsley and mix well. Using a spoon, add the meat mixture over each eggplant boat. Spread it out evenly.
• Place the powdered béchamel in a large mixing bowl and add the milk slowly while mixing with an electric mixer. Adjust and add more milk if needed until the texture is smooth and creamy.
• Use a spoon to spread the béchamel sauce over the ground meat filling and bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over each eggplant boat. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese melts and broil for 2-3 minutes so it gets golden. Serve with fresh black pepper and chopped parsley.

Nedi’s Tip – The béchamel can be homemade or from the store. We used one from the store and added some coconut milk to cut down on the cooking time.