One of Summer’s star vegetables is the eggplant! A few weeks ago, while visiting my adopted Sicilian family, I had the privilege of learning how to make this delicious stuffed eggplant recipe: Ripieno Melanzane! It resembles Parmigiana di Melanzane but with a twist! Keep on reading to find out how to make this classic Sicilian summer recipe!
History of Stuffed Eggplant
No one quite knows the history of the stuffed eggplant recipe, but it has become a staple in the Sicilian cuisine during summer. There’s different versions one can make, depending on your taste. You can decide to make it a vegetarian dish with only cheese or a meat lovers dish with minced meat inside. You choose!
Ingredients:
- 7 eggplants
- 100 grams Parmigiano Reggiano
- 50 grams Pecorino Cheese
- 4 eggs
- 200 grams of bread crumbs or stale bread soaked in water that crumbles into bread crumbs
- A handful of Basil
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil
- Oil to fry (Olive oil or Sunflower seed oil)
- Tomato Sauce
- Garlic
Directions
1. Place the eggplants in a large pot filled with water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Once cooked, allow to rest and cool.
2. Blend or chop into fine pieces the Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino and a handful of basil leaves.
3. Take the stale bread and place in a large mixing bowl. Fill with cold water, let it set for a few minutes until it becomes soft. Drain the water and use as bread crumbs.
4. Once the eggplants have cooled down, cut lengthwise to remove the flesh.
5. In a large mixing bowl, place the chopped cheeses, breadcrumbs, 4 eggs, salt to taste, olive oil and the flesh of the eggplant.
6. In a small sauce pan, start to heat your tomato sauce. Add in a few cloves of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil to add to its flavor.
7. Begin to stuff eggplants with the mixture. Once filled, close to resemble a whole eggplant.
8. Heat oil to fry stuffed eggplants. Fry until crispy and slightly brown.
9. Once the eggplants have been fried, slice in 1-2 inch pieces and pour the tomato sauce on top.
10. At the very end, sprinkle on pieces of flaky Pecorino cheese and mint leaves. ENJOY!
Discover More
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to check out our Sensational Summer Italian Recipes for 3 more authentic Italian recipes.
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